US envoy: Türkiye must end S-400 operations to rejoin F-35 program

Türkiye must no longer operate or possess the S-400 system to return to the F-35 program, U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria stated.

Tom Barrack said on X page that the talks are taking place in “the most fruitful conversations we have had on this topic in nearly a decade.”

He credited the positive relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for creating a “new atmosphere of cooperation.”

“Our hope is that these talks will yield a breakthrough in the coming months that meets both the security requirements of the United States and Türkiye,” Barrack added.

Türkiye’s purchase of the Russian-made S‑400 air defence system in 2019 has been a major source of tension with the United States and NATO. Ankara defended the acquisition as a sovereign decision and argued that U.S. alternatives, including the Patriot missile system, did not meet its technical or operational needs.

Washington, however, warned that integrating the S‑400 with Western systems could compromise F‑35 stealth capabilities and undermine NATO’s air defence interoperability. In response, the U.S. suspended Türkiye’s participation in the F‑35 programme, halted aircraft deliveries, and gradually removed Turkish firms from the supply chain.

Sanctions were also imposed on Türkiye’s defence procurement agency under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Since then, the S‑400 issue has remained the central obstacle to Türkiye’s return to the F‑35 programme, with both sides occasionally exploring technical compromises, though no resolution has been reached.

During a September meeting at the White House, Trump indicated that the U.S. could soon ease restrictions on F-35 sales to Ankara.

The two leaders developed what Trump has called a “very good relationship” during his first term, a rapport that positions Erdoğan as a key interlocutor for Trump in efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

By Aghakazim Guliyev