Kremlin Weighs Turkey’s S-400 Resale Amid F-35 Talks
MOSCOW-Russia is discussing whether to allow Turkey to re-export its Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, the Kremlin said on Friday, following reports that Ankara plans to sell the missiles as part of efforts to regain access to the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had been in contact with Turkish officials over the issue after reports emerged that Turkey had resold the S-400 systems to a Gulf country. He did not confirm the report but said discussions with Ankara were continuing.
“We have had contacts with the Turkish side on this matter, and we will continue our contacts with the Turkish side on this issue,” Peskov told reporters when asked about the media report.
The report, published by a columnist in Turkey’s pro-government Hurriyet newspaper without citing sources, said Ankara had transferred the Russian-made missile systems to a country in the Gulf. Neither the Turkish nor Russian governments publicly confirmed the reported transaction.
Turkey purchased the S-400 air defense system from Russia in 2017 during a period of strained relations with the United States over Syria and other regional disputes. The first deliveries arrived in 2019 despite repeated warnings from Washington that deployment of the Russian system alongside NATO equipment posed security risks.
The acquisition triggered a sharp deterioration in defense ties between Ankara and Washington. The United States removed Turkey from the multinational F-35 fighter jet program in 2019 and imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), preventing Ankara from receiving F-35 aircraft it had already paid for.
The issue resurfaced this week after U.S. President Donald Trump met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday. Trump said he would consider restoring Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program and indicated that U.S. sanctions could be lifted.
“We have a better relationship with Turkiye, and Turkiye’s been — in many ways — much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal,” Trump said before later adding, “We’re gonna be taking the sanctions off.”
Any transfer of the S-400 systems, however, requires Russia’s approval because Turkey does not possess a re-export license under the terms of its purchase agreement.
The S-400, one of Russia’s most advanced long-range air defense systems, has remained a major source of tension between NATO allies and Turkey since the deal was signed. Washington has consistently argued that operating the Russian system alongside advanced Western military aircraft could compromise sensitive defense technologies.
The latest contacts between Moscow and Ankara suggest both sides are examining the legal and contractual implications of any potential resale as Turkey seeks to repair defense ties with the United States while maintaining its strategic relationship with Russia.
