Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged US President Donald Trump to “rein in” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ahead of their meeting during the NATO summit in Ankara, according to an Axios
report citing Israeli and US officials.
The report said Netanyahu raised concerns during a phone call with Trump last week over Erdoğan’s increasingly strong anti-Israel remarks. He also asked the US President not to approve weapons sales that would help Turkey modernise its air force.
Trump is travelling to Turkey to attend the NATO leaders’ summit and hold talks with Erdoğan.
US-Turkey weapons deal
One of the key issues expected to be discussed is a proposed $700 million deal for new engines for Turkey’s fighter jets. Another issue is the possibility of Turkey rejoining the F-35 fighter jet programme.
Turkey was removed from the F-35 programme in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 air defence system. US officials had argued that the Russian system could compromise the advanced fighter aircraft.
Last week, US Vice President JD Vance said the Pentagon was reviewing how the United States could proceed with F-35 sales to Turkey despite its continued possession of the Russian-made missile defence system. “There are certain things that we have to certify have happened in order to comply with American law. The president has asked us to do that,” Vance told reporters in the Oval Office.
What Netanyahu said on Erdoğan?
According to the report, Netanyahu views the possible US arms sales as closely linked to the Turkish government’s recent statements against Israel. Last week, Erdoğan described Zionism as “a genocidal ideology” and suggested it posed a threat to Turkey’s survival.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also criticised the Israeli government during a television interview, calling it “a burden that humanity can no longer bear” and “a problem for the entire world”. He urged the international community to impose sanctions on Israel.
A US official quoted in the report said Trump listened to Netanyahu’s concerns and could raise the issue with Erdoğan during their meeting.
“Netanyahu made an ask and the president heard him. So the president might pass on the message like, ‘Hey, can you just go a little easy on this.’ But it is what it is,” the official said.
However, neither the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office nor the White House commented on the report.
Israel-Turkey relation
The report said tensions between Israel and Turkey have increased over the past two years amid the conflicts in Gaza and Iran. At the same time, Trump has maintained close ties with both Netanyahu and Erdoğan.
It also noted that Netanyahu’s standing in Washington has weakened in recent months following the Iran war, which affected Trump’s approval ratings and divided parts of his political base. Officials also pointed to the economic benefits of potential US arms sales to Turkey.
Netanyahu repeated his concerns publicly during an interview with Fox & Friends on Monday. He accused Erdoğan of threatening Israel and other NATO countries and argued that Turkey should not receive F-35 fighter jets or new fighter jet engines.
He said supplying such weapons would alter the balance of power in the Middle East, which he claimed depended on Israel’s air superiority and the United States’ regional posture.
The developments come ahead of the NATO summit, where Trump and Erdoğan are expected to discuss defence cooperation alongside wider regional issues.
