Turkey is seeking to return the S-400 air defence systems it purchased from Russia nearly a decade ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue at a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Turkmenistan last week, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The publication points out that this would end a controversial agreement that has strained Turkey’s relations with the U.S. and other NATO members. In addition, such a move would potentially allow Ankara to buy US F-35 fighter jets, which it has long sought.
Prior to Erdogan and Putin’s conversation, similar discussions took place between officials of the two countries, the agency’s interlocutors point out.
The Turkish president’s office and the country’s defence ministry declined to comment, while the Kremlin countered that such a request was made during the meeting between the two leaders.
Earlier this month, the US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, said the US ambassador to Turkey was in talks with Turkey about Ankara rejoining the F-35 fighter jet programme. Washington hopes the talks will lead to a breakthrough in the coming months, he said.
In a post on social network X, Barrack said Turkey should no longer own Russia’s S-400 air defence system if it wants to return to the US-led programme to produce and buy F-35 fighter jets.
In September, US President Donald Trump said before meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House that he might lift sanctions against Turkey’s defence industry.
In 2020, US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions against the Turkish defence industry over a multi-billion dollar contract to buy Russia’s S-400 anti-missile system. They targeted the Turkish Defence Industries Directorate (SSB) and banned any US export licences to the organisation. Turkey has also been excluded from the US-led F-35 fighter jet programme.
Turkey signed an agreement with Russia to purchase the S-400 in 2017, indicating that the Russian system was needed for security reasons.