The United States Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, has firmly reiterated that Ankara must fully cease the operation and possession of the Russian S-400 air defense system to be readmitted to the F-35 joint strike fighter program.
Ambassador Barrack made the statement on the social media platform X, emphasizing the legal constraint guiding Washington’s position.
“The United States is in ongoing discussions with Türkiye regarding their desire to rejoin the F-35 program and their possession of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. 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 wrote.
He also referenced recent high-level dialogue, striking an optimistic tone about potential progress. Barrack characterized recent talks between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the most productive discussions on the topic in nearly a decade.
“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.
Why the S-400 is a dealbreaker
The dispute over the S-400 system has been the central point of tension between the NATO allies since Turkey took delivery of the Russian missile system in 2019.
In response to the S-400 purchase, the U.S. removed Turkey—which was both a buyer of the F-35 fighter jet and a manufacturing partner—from the F-35 program.
The U.S. and NATO maintain that integrating a Russian air defense system like the S-400 into a NATO member’s defense architecture poses a significant security risk. Specifically, they fear that the S-400’s radar could collect sensitive data on the stealth capabilities of the F-35, compromising the security of the advanced aircraft for all NATO partners.
The acquisition of the S-400 also led the U.S. to impose sanctions on Turkey’s defense industry under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Ambassador Barrack’s statement confirms that, despite ongoing high-level talks aimed at improving bilateral relations, Turkey’s legal obligation to abandon the S-400 completely remains a non-negotiable prerequisite for resuming F-35 cooperation.
Related: The F-35 Dilemma: Can Trump Re-admit Turkey?
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