Washington, United States. Four Greek-American members of the US Congress have raised concerns over a proposed sale of fighter jet engines to Turkey worth more than $700 million, saying Ankara remains a destabilising force in the Eastern Mediterranean. They said they are seeking further information from the US administration and House leadership while opposing any potential reintegration of Turkey into the F-35 programme without full compliance with CAATSA sanctions.
Congressional response
In a joint statement, Gus Bilirakis, Nicole Malliotakis, Mike Haridopoulos and Jimmy Patronis said they were in active contact with the US administration and the leadership of the House of Representatives regarding the reported deal.
Their intervention followed an official notification to Congress from the Trump administration of its intention to approve the sale of engines valued at more than $700 million to Turkey.
Proposed engine sale
According to Reuters, the engines are intended for Turkey’s KAAN fighter jet programme. The proposed sale has prompted concern in Congress over both the substance of the deal and the oversight process for major defence exports.
F-35 and sanctions dispute
The issue is linked to Turkey’s removal from the F-35 programme after its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system.
Washington has argued that Turkey cannot operate both the Russian system and the US fifth-generation fighter jet at the same time. CAATSA sanctions and related restrictions remain central to ongoing discussions on US-Turkey defence relations.
Regional concerns
The four lawmakers said they were monitoring the matter closely as Greek-American members of Congress and repeated concerns that Turkey continues to act as a destabilising actor in the region.
In their statement, they referred to Ankara’s maritime disputes, its continued occupation of Cyprus, and its rhetoric towards Israel.
They added that the Eastern Mediterranean has the potential to become a centre for trade, energy cooperation and regional stability, and said they support initiatives aimed at advancing that goal. However, they warned that Turkey’s rhetoric and actions increasingly threaten key US allies and risk undermining regional stability.