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The United States and Türkiye are engaged in active negotiations over Ankara's potential return to the F-35 fighter jet program, with Washington maintaining that Turkish possession of a Russian air defense system remains the central obstacle to any agreement, according to statements from the US ambassador to Türkiye.
Ambassador Tom Barrack said Wednesday that the warming relationship between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has created what he described as the most productive discussions on the issue in nearly a decade. The talks center on resolving the long-standing dispute over Türkiye's acquisition and operation of Russia's S-400 missile defense system, which prompted Washington to expel Ankara from the F-35 program in 2019.
"As laid out in U.S. law, Türkiye must no longer operate nor possess the S-400 system to return to the F-35 program," Barrack wrote in a social media post, reiterating the legal barriers that have prevented resolution despite years of intermittent negotiations between the NATO allies.
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Barrack, who also serves as the US Special Representative for Syria, indicated that recent high-level engagement between the two presidents has shifted the diplomatic landscape. The ambassador expressed optimism that ongoing conversations could produce a breakthrough within months that would satisfy both nations' security requirements.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program represents one of the most expensive weapons systems in history, with Türkiye having been an original partner nation contributing to development costs. Turkish defense firms manufactured key components for the aircraft, and Ankara had ordered more than 100 jets before its removal from the program.
US law, specifically the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, prohibits major defense sales to countries operating significant Russian military systems. Washington has consistently argued that the S-400's radar systems could potentially gather intelligence on F-35 capabilities, compromising the stealth fighter's effectiveness against Russian air defenses.
Türkiye activated the S-400 system in 2019 after purchasing it from Russia for approximately $2.5 billion, triggering US sanctions and expulsion from the F-35 program. Turkish officials have previously proposed various compromises, including storing the system without activation, though none have satisfied US legal requirements.
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