Turkey pushes for US lift on F‑35 block at NATO summit

Turkey is intensifying diplomatic efforts ahead of the NATO summit in Istanbul on 7‑8 July, hoping to restart stalled U.S. defense cooperation. Ankara seeks to have the sanctions imposed after its purchase of Russian S‑400 missile systems removed, which have blocked Turkey from the F‑35 program and delayed new F‑16 deliveries.

U.S. officials, including the ambassador to NATO, have met with Turkey’s foreign and defense ministers, and President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit, marking the first U.S. presidential trip to Turkey since 2015. Analysts note the timing offers a narrow window before the November U.S. mid‑term elections. Turkey argues that its air‑force capability gap, especially compared with Israel’s F‑35 fleet, threatens NATO’s southeastern flank amid the war in Ukraine and Middle‑East instability. Re‑entry into the F‑35 program would require Turkey to fully dismantle and remove its S‑400 systems, a condition the United States maintains.

The outcome could affect Turkey’s modernization of its air force and broader NATO cohesion, but immediate security or economic impacts remain limited.