The United States has reaffirmed that Turkey does not meet the legal…
The United States has reaffirmed that Turkey does not meet the legal requirements to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program due to its possession of Russian S-400 missile systems, with officials demanding full removal of the systems and guarantees against future purchases. Despite ongoing talks and speculation about Turkey selling the S-400s to third countries like the UAE or Qatar, U.S. conditions remain strict.
Consensus
- Turkey does not currently meet the legal requirements for rejoining the F-35 program.
- The main obstacle is Turkey's possession of Russian S-400 air defense systems.
- The U.S. has maintained its position that Turkey must fully remove the S-400 systems and provide guarantees against future purchases.
- U.S.-Turkey talks on the issue continue with a positive dynamic in military and political relations.
- The purchase of S-400s by Turkey from Russia occurred between 2017 and 2020, with deliveries starting in July 2019.
- Following the acquisition, the U.S. excluded Turkey from the F-35 program and imposed sanctions under CAATSA.
Points of divergence
- Turkish media reported that Turkey has sold its S-400 systems to a country in the Persian Gulf, with Qatar or the UAE as potential buyers, and that all technical issues have been resolved. — vm
- Turkey may sell the S-400s to a third country such as South Korea to rejoin the F-35 program. — interfax
- Turkish authorities do not plan to fully abandon the Russian S-400 systems, despite U.S. demands, and are open to a joint military mechanism for oversight instead of full removal. — m24
Coverage (14 sources)
- Americans are stalling Turkey — Рыбарь
- US State Department: Turkey does not meet requirements for F-35 — Вести
- US Department of State: Turkey still has not met the conditions for receiving F-35s — Коммерсантъ
- Turkish Ministry of Defense Head: Talks with third countries on S-400 continue — Ведомости
- Turkey continues negotiations with third countries on the S-400 issue — Вести
- Peskov: Russia continues to contact Turkey on the issue of S-400 systems — Вести
- Hürriyet: Turkey resold Russian S-400s to a third country — Ведомости
- Hurriyet reports on Turkey's secret sale of Russian S-400s — Вечерняя Москва
- Washington and Ankara to Discuss Transfer of Russian S-400s to a Gulf Country — Вести
- Media reports that Turkey is considering selling S-400 systems to a third country — Вести
- Turkey may sell S-400s to a third country to return to the F-35 fighter program — Интерфакс
- Euroactiv reports on Turkey's intention to sell Russian C-400s to South Korea — Коммерсантъ
- Bloomberg: Turkey Will Not Give Up on Russian S-400 — Москва 24
- TASS: Turkish Ministry of Defense refutes reports on Russia returning S-400 systems — Москва 24
Key entities
- Turkey
- Russia
- USA
- Moscow
- Ankara
- Persian Gulf
- Washington
- Bloomberg
- Ministry of Defense
- State Department
- Qatar
- South Korea
- Abdulqadir Selvi
- Yashar Guler
- Dmitry Peskov