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The possibility of transferring Türkiye's Russian-made S-400 air defense systems to a country friendly to Moscow is on the agenda, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
"Such an issue is on the agenda. Relevant work is underway and relevant contacts are being maintained," Peskov said when asked about the possibility of moving the systems from Türkiye to another country.
Peskov did not identify a possible recipient country, specify the nature of the contacts or say whether an agreement had been reached.
His remarks came days after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow was prepared to consider proposals for transferring the systems, while stressing that any such move would require Russia's formal approval under the original end-user agreement.
"We will consider any proposal," Lavrov said Saturday, adding that the systems could only be transferred with Russia's consent and to a country that Moscow regarded as responsible and friendly.
Lavrov said Russia would need guarantees that the systems would not subsequently be transferred elsewhere.
He also said Ankara had not formally approached Moscow with such a request.
"There was no such request to us," Lavrov said.
Asked whether the United Arab Emirates could be a possible destination, Lavrov said Moscow was not considering any specific option and would assess the issue once Türkiye submitted a concrete proposal.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said over the weekend that Ankara's discussions over the S-400 issue were continuing "with everyone," but gave no timeline for their conclusion and did not confirm a possible destination for the systems.
"When it concludes, we will share it with the public anyway," Fidan said.
Asked about the UAE specifically, Fidan stopped short of confirming that the systems would be transferred there, saying only that talks were continuing.
Peskov had previously confirmed in July that Moscow and Ankara were in contact over the future of the systems, describing the issue at the time as highly sensitive.
Türkiye's acquisition of the S-400 in 2019 led Washington to remove Ankara from the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program. The United States later imposed sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
Washington has argued that operating the Russian air defense system alongside the F-35 could allow sensitive information about the stealth fighter, including aspects of its radar signature and capabilities, to be exposed to Russia.
Türkiye has consistently rejected that argument, maintaining that the two systems could coexist without posing a security risk and proposing a joint technical commission to examine the issue.
Ankara has also sought the delivery of six F-35 aircraft it says it has already paid for and has called either for its reinstatement in the program or compensation for the roughly $1.45 billion it invested in the project. The aircraft have remained in the United States since Türkiye's removal from the program.
Momentum toward resolving the dispute grew after the NATO summit in Ankara in July, when U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that he was open to lifting CAATSA sanctions and reconsidering Türkiye's access to the F-35.
Trump said during the summit that his administration would move to remove the sanctions, while saying he had not yet made a final decision on Türkiye's return to the fighter program.
Fidan later said the political decision to lift the CAATSA sanctions had "effectively already been made," while acknowledging that technical and legal steps remained.
The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Türkiye was seeking to transfer its S-400 systems to the UAE as part of efforts to clear a path back into the F-35 program.
Under the formula being discussed, the systems could be stationed in the UAE, which already operates U.S.-made THAAD and Patriot air defense systems. Any transfer, however, would require Moscow's approval.
The prospect remained uncertain.
Semafor reported in August that discussions with the UAE did not appear to have advanced, citing people familiar with the matter, leaving Türkiye's potential F-35 purchase "at a standstill."
The report said another option under consideration was disabling the S-400 systems rather than transferring them, but that approach could face resistance in Congress from lawmakers who interpret U.S. law as requiring Türkiye to fully divest itself of the Russian system.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Semafor that Türkiye should not receive F-35s while it retains the S-400.
"I don't think they should have F-35s unless they're going to be a true partner … so if they have the S-400, they cannot have the F-35," Scott said.
A senior Turkish official separately said in July that transferring the systems specifically to the UAE had "not been discussed in those specific terms," even as Ankara and Washington continued talks aimed at resolving broader defense disputes.
U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack said last week that resolving the legal and regulatory issues surrounding the S-400 would take time, pointing to requirements imposed by Congress under both CAATSA and the National Defense Authorization Act.
"Again, it takes time, but the defense cooperation between Türkiye and the U.S. is essential," Barrack said.
"They're the second-largest NATO ally. We rely on them tremendously for all sorts of regional alliances," he added.
Neither Türkiye nor Russia has announced an agreement to transfer the S-400 systems, and no third country has been officially identified as a recipient.
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