Media: Türkiye may sell Russian S-400s as path opens for F-35 return

Türkiye’s reported plan to sell its Russian-made S-400 air defence system to a Gulf country in an effort to clear the path for acquiring American F-35 fighter jets has sparked fresh security concerns, according to a regional intelligence official quoted by Euractiv.

The United States has consistently maintained that operating F-35 fighter jets alongside Russia’s S-400 air defence system on the same territory could enable Moscow to gather sensitive information about the West’s most advanced stealth aircraft, potentially undermining its capabilities.

Speaking at the NATO summit, US President Donald Trump said he supports Türkiye’s return to the F-35 programme, from which Ankara was removed in 2020 after purchasing the Russian-made air defence system.

Turkish newspaper Hürriyet reported on 10 July that an agreement had been reached to transfer the S-400 system to either Qatar or the United Arab Emirates. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the issue as “highly sensitive” and confirmed that discussions with the Turkish side are continuing.

However, a regional intelligence official questioned whether transferring the S-400 to a Gulf state would actually eliminate concerns over the exposure of US military technology to Russian systems.

“Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia all host US military bases and operate American weapons systems. Wouldn’t that still create a risk of sensitive information being exposed to Moscow?” asked the official.

The same official suggested that Russia’s readiness to discuss a possible transfer of the S-400 to a third country could indicate a change in Moscow’s approach toward both Ankara and Washington.

A Russian diplomatic source told Euractiv that the potential sale of the system to a Gulf state is currently “being analysed”, noting that several security-related issues still need to be addressed.

When approached by Euractiv, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the matter does not fall within its jurisdiction, implying that the ultimate decision rests with the Kremlin.

According to an official from a regional country, Moscow may seek concessions from Türkiye in exchange for approving the system's resale. Among the Kremlin’s key expectations is that Ankara continue to avoid broad alignment with European Union sanctions against Russia.

At the same time, both Israel and Greece have voiced opposition to Türkiye rejoining the F-35 programme.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel told the Greek newspaper Kathimerini that Israel would maintain its military edge over Türkiye even if Ankara acquired F-35 fighter jets.

By Jeyhun Aghazada