Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for Turkiye's re-entry into the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program, saying it would help cement ties with Washington and strengthen the security of NATO.

Axar.az informs, citing Turkiye Today, "Turkiye's receipt of the F-35 aircraft for which it has already paid, and its reintegration into the program, are important and necessary" for better ties with the U.S. and NATO's defense, Erdogan said in written comments to Bloomberg on Monday.

The comments highlight the Turkish president's bid to use his rapport with U.S. President Donald Trump to repair ties strained almost a decade ago over Turkiye's purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems.

Erdogan told reporters on Friday, he will have a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump. The call is scheduled at 4 p.m. local time.

The leaders are expected to discuss the removal of CAATSA sanctions, the delivery of F-16 and F-35 aircraft, the Halkbank case, the integration of the Kurdish SDF into the Syrian army, and the situation in Gaza.

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