US Approves $304M Missile Sale to Turkey, Strengthening NATO Ties

The US has greenlit a $304 million missile sale to Turkey to bolster trade and defense relations between the NATO allies, according to Bloomberg.

The deal, pending congressional approval, coincides with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Turkey for a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, with a potential stop in İstanbul for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks.

Turkey requested 53 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles for $225 million and 60 Block II missiles for $79.1 million, with RTX Corporation overseeing the sales. The deal comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seeks to mend ties with US President Donald Trump, strained by Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system and US support for Syrian Kurdish forces linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK recently announced it would disarm, potentially boosting Turkey’s regional influence.

With the US and Turkey boasting NATO’s largest armies, their seven-decade alliance remains critical. As the Pentagon plans to reduce its Syrian troop presence to under 1,000, Turkey is offering thousands of its soldiers stationed in Syria to stabilize the region. Turkey also aims to monitor a potential Russia-Ukraine ceasefire across the Black Sea, aligning with US stabilization goals.

Turkey is keen to acquire F-35 jets, but a US ban—triggered by the S-400 purchase and enforced via CAATSA sanctions—blocks this. Ankara hopes Trump will ease these sanctions to allow F-35 purchases, potentially deepening defense cooperation. Beyond defense, Turkey is eyeing increased US liquefied natural gas imports and a Boeing aircraft order.