US Sets New Condition for Delivering F-35 Jets to Turkey
The United States Ambassador in Ankara announced that the delivery of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey will only take place if the country abandons the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.
Tom Barak, Washington’s Ambassador to Turkey, wrote in a post on the social media platform “X”: “According to US law, Turkey’s return to the F-35 program depends on the country neither possessing nor using the S-400 system.”
He added: “The positive relations between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have created a new atmosphere of cooperation, paving the way for the most fruitful talks in nearly a decade.”
Barak described the ongoing negotiations as “promising” and said the discussions could meet the security needs of both countries.
The United States, during Trump’s first presidential term, barred Turkey from receiving F-35 jets after it purchased the S-400 system from Russia. US officials feared that Turkey’s use of the system could expose sensitive information about the F-35 to Russia.
Israel, the only country in the Middle East that operates the F-35, has expressed concern over the possible sale of these jets to Turkey and other regional states, stressing its desire to maintain “military superiority” in the region. Trump’s recent decision to sell F-35s to Saudi Arabia has also raised concerns in Tel Aviv.
Turkey, meanwhile, is seeking to strengthen its air power by purchasing Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the UK and several European countries, while continuing talks with the US over the F-35. The Typhoon deal is in its final stages, but Ankara remains deprived of access to the F-35.
