U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he could lift sanctions against Türkiye’s defence industry “very soon,” depending on the outcome of his Oval Office meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“Against sanctions against Türkiye? Could be very soon. If we have a good meeting, almost immediately,” Trump told reporters before praising Ankara’s rising defence contributions within NATO.
“They’re paying now 5% of GDP. Nobody thought that was possible … The relationship is very good. NATO, with us, is the strongest it’s ever been,” added President Trump.
The restrictions were imposed after Türkiye’s 2019 purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems, which Washington deemed incompatible with NATO’s defences. Erdoğan is pushing for a breakthrough to ease the measures, encouraged by Trump’s warmer approach toward Moscow and his personal rapport with the Turkish leader.
The atmosphere contrasts sharply with former President Joe Biden’s stance of keeping Ankara at a distance over its close ties to Russia. Under Trump, both sides have found new common ground in Syria, where they now back the central government after years of dispute.
However, frictions remain. Ankara has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a position strongly rejected by Washington. Analysts warn that while Trump and Erdoğan’s pragmatic, leader-to-leader diplomacy could deliver short-term results, deeper strategic tensions continue to cast uncertainty over the partnership.
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The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
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