US lawmaker says Türkiye will not rejoin F-35 program

U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has firmly ruled out Türkiye’s return to the F-35 fighter jet program.

Speaking at a Greek diaspora event in New York, Meeks emphasized the United States’ strategic alignment with Greece and dismissed any prospect of resuming F-35 deliveries to Türkiye.

“The F-35s will not go to Türkiye. We’re going to ensure Greece maintains its strategic advance,” Meeks stated and added, “It is our shared values—liberty, freedom, equity, and democracy—that bring us together.”

Background: Türkiye’s removal from F-35 program

Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after it acquired Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.

The decision was made under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which also led to sanctions on Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries and senior officials.

As a former partner in the multinational F-35 development program, Türkiye has long called the sanctions “unjust” and has pushed for compensation or reinstatement.

Ankara’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to rejoin program

Despite the U.S. representative’s resistance, Türkiye continues efforts to resume cooperation with the United States in the defense sector.

Senior diplomatic sources recently confirmed that both nations will engage in technical-level discussions aimed at addressing CAATSA-related tensions and Türkiye’s exclusion from the F-35 program.

“Technical talks will be held for the resolution of existing problems,” one source stated, adding that a Turkish delegation is expected in Washington next week for focused dialogue.

These talks will reportedly cover potential CAATSA exemptions and future defense collaboration.

Turkish Defense Ministry’s position on sanctions

Rear Admiral Zeki Akturk, spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Defense, reiterated Ankara’s stance during a recent press briefing. Akturk emphasized that the CAATSA sanctions are “unlawful” and have no place between NATO allies.

“We have been saying from the very beginning that the CATSAA sanctions are unlawful. We have repeatedly emphasized that it is not right for an allied country to impose sanctions on another allied country,” he said.

“We have said and are saying that if the CATSAA sanctions are lifted, we will also consider returning to the F-35 procurement process,” the Defense Ministry spokesperson added.

“If the CATSAA sanctions are lifted, we believe that the momentum of cooperation with the US in the defense industry and defense and security issues will increase,” Akturk added.

Trump reportedly open to lifting sanctions and F-35 sales

Despite comments from the U.S. representative, U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly open to lifting sanctions on Türkiye and reconsidering F-35 sales.

According to Fox News, Trump expressed interest in finalizing an F-16 sale and potentially reviving F-35 negotiations during a recent call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Fox News cited sources saying that Trump’s team is reviewing legal and technical pathways to avoid violations of CAATSA.

The discussions reportedly hinge on rendering the S-400 system inoperable, a move that could pave the way for Ankara’s reintegration into the program.

Türkiye’s call for reinstatement or compensation

Türkiye maintains that there is no conflict between the S-400 system and F-35 aircraft and has proposed forming a commission to investigate.

Ankara argues that its exclusion from the program, despite fulfilling financial and contractual obligations, violates partnership agreements.

In 2023, the U.S. approved a $23 billion sale of F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Türkiye. Discussions on the deal’s final terms are still ongoing.