ISTANBUL (AP) — The close relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has brought the countries closer to resolving issues that led to Turkey being kicked off the F-35 fighter jet program, the United States ambassador to Ankara said Wednesday.

“The positive relationship between President Trump and President Erdogan has created a new atmosphere of cooperation, which has led to the most fruitful conversations we have had on this topic in nearly a decade,” Ambassador Tom Barrack wrote in a social media post.

During Trump’s first term, the U.S. removed NATO ally Turkey from the next-generation fighter program after Turkey purchased an air defense system from Russia. U.S. officials worried that Turkey’s use of Russia’s S-400 missile system could

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