Turkey’s defense ministry has said there have been no new developments regarding its Russian-made S-400 air defense system, responding to comments by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack linking Ankara’s return to the F-35 fighter jet program to the system’s removal.
The ministry said in a press briefing on Friday that efforts to strengthen Turkey’s air defense capabilities through domestic systems are continuing as planned. The S-400 issue, which has resurfaced in recent days, has not seen any change, the ministry said.
Millî Savunma Bakanlığının faaliyetleri başta olmak üzere gündemdeki konulara ilişkin olarak Haftalık Basın Bilgilendirme Toplantısı gerçekleştirildi.
Basın ve Halkla İlişkiler Müşaviri ve Bakanlık Sözcüsü Tuğamiral Zeki Aktürk tarafından icra edilen toplantıda şu bilgiler… pic.twitter.com/QGAxCWxJ6M
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) December 12, 2025
The dispute dates back to US President Donald Trump’s first term in office, when Washington removed Turkey from the multinational F-35 consortium in 2019 after Ankara took delivery of the Russian missile system despite objections from its Western allies.
Diplomatic contacts with US officials regarding the F-35 program are ongoing, the statement said, focusing on lifting sanctions and removing obstacles to Turkey’s re-entry into the program.
Turkey’s purchase of the Russian system triggered sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which Turkey remains subject to.
The United States argues that the S-400 poses a security risk to NATO technology and could compromise sensitive data on the stealth aircraft.
Addressing the issue through mutual dialogue and constructive consultations in line with the spirit of alliance would contribute positively to bilateral relations, the ministry added.
Barrack, who also serves as the US special envoy for Syria, said this week that talks were continuing over Turkey’s request to rejoin the F-35 program but stressed that US law requires that Turkey stop operating and possessing the S-400 system to move forward.
In a statement on X on Tuesday Barrack said discussions between the two countries have become more constructive in recent months, thanks to what he described as an improved personal relationship between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“As laid out in U.S. law, Turkiye must no longer operate nor possess the S-400 system to return to the F-35 program,” Barrack said, noting that the legal requirement remains unchanged despite the renewed diplomatic engagement after nearly a decade of deadlock.
“Our hope is that these talks will yield a breakthrough in the coming months that meets both the security requirements of the United States and Türkiye,” he added.
It was the second time in a week that Barrack has raised the possibility of Turkey rejoining the F-35 program.
Speaking on December 5 at a conference in Abu Dhabi, he said Turkey has already addressed Washington’s concerns over the operability of the Russian-made S-400 missile system because the hardware is not currently in use. But he noted that Turkey’s continued possession of the system remains a central point of tension between the two countries.
Turkey’s purchase of the Russian-made S-400 system was worth an estimated $2.5 billion at the time and included two full batteries and more than 120 long-range 48N6 missiles. It is not yet known whether Moscow would be prepared to buy the system back at a similar price, or whether Ankara would agree to sell it.
A complete removal of the S-400 infrastructure from Turkey, which would be possible through a resale to Russia, will clear one of the main obstacles to Ankara’s return to the F-35 program and reopen the possibility of acquiring the fifth-generation jets.
Before being removed from the consortium in 2019, Turkey had planned to buy 100 F-35As. Its current request is for 40 aircraft, as the country has since shifted part of its focus to developing its own stealth fighter, the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet, which is expected to enter service in 2028. Turkey is also seeking to purchase Eurofighter Typhoons and US-made F-16s to bolster its air force.
The United States and Turkey have the two largest armies in NATO, providing critical military capabilities to the alliance.