US diplomat signals Türkiye nears resolution on F-35 roadblock

A senior US diplomat indicated that Türkiye is moving closer to resolving a major obstacle that has prevented it from acquiring American F-35 fighter jets.

According to US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack, Türkiye has addressed the “operability” concerns regarding its Russian-made S-400 missile systems, as they are currently not in use. However, Türkiye still retains possession of the missiles, which continues to be a point of contention with the United States.

“My belief is that those issues will be resolved in the next four to six months,” Barrack stated during a conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Friday. When asked whether Turkey is nearing the point of eliminating the Russian system, he replied, “Yes.”

The issue of Türkiye’s S-400 missile purchase was raised during a September meeting at the White House between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Türkiye’s acquisition of the air defence system nearly a decade ago led to its removal from the F-35 fighter jet development program and triggered US sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) on certain Turkish defence companies.

The US has maintained that the S-400 systems threaten the F-35’s stealth capabilities, while Ankara has insisted it will take measures to mitigate these risks, asserting that the Russian missiles will not be integrated into NATO-aligned defence systems.

In September, Trump suggested he might consider allowing Türkiye to purchase F-35s, noting that Erdogan was “going to do something for us,” without providing further details.

With both nations commanding NATO’s two largest armies, there is a strong incentive to repair their strained ties. At the same time, Türkiye has strategic reasons to maintain a balanced relationship with Russia, which supplies significant volumes of natural gas and crude oil crucial for its $1.5 trillion economy.

By Tamilla Hasanova