Turkey has not confirmed that it has abandoned the Russian S-400s in order to rejoin the F-35 programme
This was announced by the Turkish Ministry of Defence following its weekly briefing, against the backdrop of numerous reports in the local media.
“Multifaceted work is continuing on the S-400 long-range regional air and missile defence systems. Specific results will be communicated to the public as they become available,” the Turkish Ministry of Defence stated.
Why the S-400 issue has resurfaced
In recent days, the Turkish media have reported that Ankara is considering the possibility of transferring or selling S-400 systems to one of the Gulf states. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have been named among the potential buyers.
None of the parties — Turkey, Russia, Qatar or the UAE — has officially confirmed the existence of such a deal. The Kremlin has merely acknowledged that it is in contact with Ankara regarding the future of the systems, describing the issue as “extremely sensitive”.
Without a resolution to the S-400 issue, a return to the F-35 programme is impossible
Turkey acquired Russian S-400 systems in 2019, despite US objections. Following this, Washington excluded the country from the fifth-generation F-35 fighter programme and imposed sanctions under the CAATSA Act.
US legislation explicitly prohibits the transfer of F-35 aircraft, related equipment and technical support to Turkey as long as Ankara possesses S-400 systems or associated infrastructure. This is why the physical removal, sale or transfer of the Russian systems is considered a key condition for the country’s reinstatement in the programme.
The US and Turkey are trying to find a compromise
During the NATO summit in Ankara, US President Donald Trump stated that his administration intends to lift sanctions against Turkey and consider the sale of F-35s. At the same time, he acknowledged that the final decision depends not only on the White House, but also on existing legislative restrictions and the position of Congress.
Following the talks, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Ankara expects to reach a resolution in the near future regarding both the lifting of sanctions and the F-35s. According to him, the political will to resolve the dispute exists on both sides.
For the time being, however, the Turkish Ministry of Defence has not confirmed any scenario regarding the future of the S-400, leaving the matter open.
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