Greek media claims US offers Türkiye F-35 program return if S-400s deployed at Incirlik
In 2019, Ankara received the S-400 air defence system from Russia (AP Photo)
U.S. officials have presented a new proposal to Türkiye aimed at resolving the long-standing dispute over Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system, claimed Greek media.
The offer suggests that Türkiye could rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program if the Russian-made missile system is either handed over to the U.S. or relocated to Incirlik Air Base, where it would be controlled by U.S. forces.
Path to reconciliation on S-400 dispute
High-level U.S. officials, including Celeste Wallander, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and Michael Carpenter, Senior Director for Europe at the National Security Council, met with Turkish counterparts in July.
During these talks, the U.S. team outlined a detailed proposal to transfer control of the S-400s to the U.S. while allowing Türkiye to retain them on its territory without violating its contract with Russia.
Mike Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former Pentagon official, commented on the proposal: “My sources tell me that during their visit to Türkiye on July 1-2, Wallander and Carpenter discussed reviving the F-35 agreement with Turkish officials. In exchange for rejoining the program, they asked Türkiye to either hand over the S-400s to the United States or relocate them to the Incirlik base under U.S. control.”
Türkiye’s initial response and continuing discussions
Despite the complexity of the issue, both sides appear eager to resolve the dispute, which has been a significant point of contention in U.S.-Türkiye relations.
The Turkish government initially rejected the proposal, stating that the S-400 systems would remain in storage within Türkiye.
However, discussions are expected to continue at the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York this week.
Rubin noted that “the agreement is not dead yet. The F-35 program will remain on the agenda for both the United States and Türkiye this week.”
Possible lifting of CAATSA sanctions
The US has indicated a willingness to lift the CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) sanctions imposed on Türkiye following its purchase of the S-400s if a resolution can be reached.
Resolving the S-400 issue could also allow for Türkiye’s “full reintegration” into the F-35 fighter jet program, a move that both NATO and Washington are reportedly keen to finalize.
CAATSA sanctions, F-35s and relations with US
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, recently spoke at Anadolu Agency’s editorial board, addressed key international issues, including Palestine’s statehood, escalating regional conflicts, and Türkiye’s expanding diplomatic network, emphasizing the need for robust international and cybersecurity measures.
Regarding the ongoing political complexities involving the F-35 aircraft, Fidan remarked: “We are continuously working on resolving the political dimension of the issue. The fundamental problem with the F-35 is due to CAATSA, and both countries are frustrated with the F-35 disagreement affecting their relations.”
