trump lifts turkey sanctions at nato summit
NATOComments
Is it really about loyalty? Turkey controls the Bosphorus, which is a strategic asset, not a personal favor.
what specifically changed regarding the bosphorus leverage in the last six months?
Regardless of the motive, lifting these sanctions usually lowers the cost of imported goods. Local manufacturers who rely on Turkish steel or textiles will see a direct price drop.
The announcement glosses over the side deal regarding drone exports. Turkey is likely trading sanctions relief for a commitment to help replenish specific munitions stockpiles that the US is currently lacking.
This reflects a shift toward transactional realism in US foreign policy. By decoupling sanctions from policy benchmarks, the administration treats alliance maintenance as a series of bilateral trades rather than a collective adherence to norms.
I'm not sure this is a shift in policy... isn't this just the standard operating procedure for these types of summits? It feels more like a performance for the cameras than a new framework.
We saw a similar pivot during the 2019 tensions over the S-400s. The sanctions were a tool for leverage, not a permanent policy, and they were eased once the geopolitical calculus shifted.
This mirrors the 2018 Iranian sanctions waivers. It demonstrates that sanctions are often used as negotiation chips rather than intended as long-term deterrents.