Turkey Ends Tariffs on U.S. Imports Ahead of Erdoğan-Trump Meeting

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey announced on Monday the termination of retaliatory tariffs imposed on various U.S. imports, including passenger cars and fruits, as a gesture to improve bilateral relations. The move comes just days before President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.

The cancellation of the tariffs was published in Turkey’s Official Gazette. These tariffs were initially introduced in 2018 in response to U.S. tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum imports. The U.S. had set a 15% tariff rate on Turkish goods earlier this year, yet Ankara did not retaliate against that action.

The Turkish Trade Ministry stated that the ending of these tariffs reflects positive progress in negotiations with the United States. “The additional financial obligations imposed on imports of certain U.S.-origin products have been terminated,” it noted.

During the upcoming meeting on Thursday, Erdoğan and Trump are expected to discuss trade and military agreements. The Turkish Trade Ministry aims to bolster the annual two-way trade volume between the two nations to $100 billion, a significant increase from approximately $30 billion last year.

The relationship between the two leaders has had its ups and downs. While they maintained a close bond during Trump’s presidency, ongoing issues such as U.S. support for Kurdish fighters in Syria and Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile systems have created tension.

Trump is reportedly eager to finalize deals regarding trade, including potential large-scale purchases of Boeing aircraft and discussions around F-16s and F-35 jets.

In addition to lifting the tariffs, Turkey announced a new customs duty of 25% to 30% on passenger car imports from countries without free trade agreements with Turkey, excluding the European Union.