Greece warns over Turkey F‑35 sale amid NATO summit

Greek defence minister Nikos Dendias told reporters that Greece would not be pleased if the United States sold F‑35 fighter jets or next‑generation engines to Turkey, asking whether such a move serves U.S. interests and NATO stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. At the NATO summit in Ankara, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raised the issue of a “casus belli” with Turkey, kept Greece’s tone low, and reaffirmed that Greek pilots will begin F‑35 training in 2027 with the first aircraft expected in 2029, while noting that legal obstacles remain because Turkey still operates Russian S‑400 systems.

U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that the U.S. could consider lifting the 2020 CAATSA sanctions on Turkey and revisit the sale, but Congress has passed a law barring any F‑35 transfer while Turkey retains the S‑400. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed concerns from Greece and Israel, saying such objections have “no place in my world.”

Diplomatic sources in Athens confirm that no final decision has been made; any Turkish procurement would require official certification that the S‑400 has been removed and that Turkey will not acquire comparable Russian systems. The situation underscores tension over defence cooperation, regional stability, and the competing interests of NATO members.