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In a concerted effort to block Türkiye’s return to the U.S. F-35 program, Jewish and Greek lobbying groups have joined forces in Washington, D.C.
Their primary aim is to prevent Türkiye from acquiring the advanced F-35 fighter jets, a deal they argue could undermine regional security and NATO's collective defense structure.
The International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) and the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) have been at the forefront of this lobbying effort.
These groups have raised concerns about Türkiye’s reliability as a NATO ally, particularly after its growing defense ties with Russia. In a press release, PSEKA emphasized that the F-35, regarded as one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets, should only be available to the U.S.' "most trusted allies."
"The most advanced fighter jet, the F35, should only be available to America’s most trusted allies! Turkey wants the United States to lift CAATSA sanctions and readmit it into the F-35 program," PSEKA stated, urging U.S. lawmakers to block any efforts to reverse Türkiye’s removal from the program.
HALC has been mobilizing efforts to prevent any U.S. government approval for the sale of F-35 jets to Türkiye. The organization has written a letter to U.S. lawmakers, including Senators Ben Cardin, James Risch, and Representatives Michael McCaul and Gregory Meeks, urging them to oppose the sale.
The letter argues that Türkiye should not be "rewarded" with access to the F-35 program, citing concerns that weapons purchased from the U.S. could be used against American allies, particularly in the context of Türkiye’s military actions in Syria and its strained relations with other NATO members.
Türkiye’s involvement in the F-35 program began in 2002, and the country was originally a key partner in the Joint Strike Fighter development initiative. However, tensions escalated when Türkiye finalized a deal to purchase the Russian-made S-400 air defense system in 2017, which led to the U.S. halting Türkiye’s participation in the F-35 program in 2019.
Since then, Türkiye has been seeking to return to the program, but its efforts have been met with strong opposition from both Greek and Jewish lobbying groups, as well as from Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been actively involved in lobbying against Türkiye’s acquisition of the F-35. Reports indicate that Netanyahu personally reached out to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging him to block the deal.
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