Trump hosts Turkey’s Erdogan at the White House as the US considers lifting a ban on F-35 sales

President Donald Trump is holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday with the Republican leader signaling that the U.S. government’s hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara may soon be lifted.

During Trump’s first term, the United States kicked out Turkey, a NATO ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program after it purchased an air defense system from Russia. U.S. officials worried that Turkey’s use of Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands.

Trump started his Oval Office meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be hatched during the day’s talks.

“He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we’re going to come to a conclusion,” Trump said. “You’ll know by the end of the day.”