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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [INTERNATIONAL]

5 clusters · 27 sources · 23 days · First seen about 1 month ago · Last updated 14 days ago

Turkey-US F-35 program negotiations

Overview

Negotiations between Turkey and the United States regarding the lifting of CAATSA sanctions and Turkey’s reintegration into the F-35 fighter jet program have been ongoing. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that the process is taking “a little more time than expected,” despite coordination between mediators and the shared goal of resolving the issue “as soon as possible.”

Following discussions at the NATO Summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump has shown a “positive will” regarding the program. Erdoğan expressed expectations for concrete steps toward reintegration, noting that his bilateral relationship with Trump has provided momentum to the broader Turkey-U.S. relationship.

Recent developments in 2026 show that six F-35A fighter jets, for which Turkey has paid approximately $1.4 billion, remain held in U.S. hangars. The transfer of these aircraft is blocked by a 2019 U.S. Congressional mandate that prohibits delivery as long as Turkey maintains its possession of the Russian S-400 missile system. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed this stance, stating that Turkey cannot receive the jets until the S-400 issue is resolved due to legal restrictions within the National Defense Authorization Act. While Rubio noted “various options exist to resolve the situation,” no conclusion has been reached.

Concurrently, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that discussions are underway regarding the possibility of transferring Turkey's S-400 systems to another country, a move Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested Moscow might approve if the recipient maintains friendly relations with Russia.

Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu has stated that Turkey is intensifying contacts to secure the delivery of the first six aircraft and expressed optimism that a resolution regarding the F-35 program and CAATSA sanctions will be reached in the near future.

Entities

Turkey · United States · Donald Trump · Recep Tayyip Erdoğan · Marco Rubio

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 9 SOURCES] Turkey is in ongoing negotiations with the United States for the delivery of six F-35 fighter aircraft.
[● 7 SOURCES] Donald Trump expressed a positive stance on Turkey rejoining the F-35 program.
[● 7 SOURCES] Turkey expects the positive stance on the F-35 program to be converted into concrete steps.
[● 7 SOURCES] Turkey prioritizes the development of its domestic defense industry, including the KAAN fighter jet.
[● 6 SOURCES] Turkey is seeking the removal of CAATSA sanctions and all restrictions affecting its defense industry.
[● 5 SOURCES] Turkey is continuing discussions with the United Kingdom regarding the acquisition of Eurofighter jets.
[● 3 SOURCES] US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the sale of F-35s is subject to strict legal conditions under the NDAA.
[● 3 SOURCES] Turkey is procuring twelve C-130J-30 aircraft from the United Kingdom, with the first two deliveries expected in December 2026.
[● 2 SOURCES] The legal impasse regarding the F-35 delivery is linked to Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 system.

Timeline

14 days ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 11 sources
Turkey negotiates with US for delivery of six F-35 fighter aircraft
Turkey is negotiating with the US for the delivery of six F-35 jets, seeking the removal of CAATSA sanctions and legal hurdles related to its purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
19 days ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 5 sources
US: F-35 delivery to Turkey depends on S-400 resolution
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Turkey's acquisition of F-35 jets is legally blocked by its possession of Russian S-400 missile systems, though transfer discussions for the systems are reportedly under
20 days ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
F-35 fighter jets produced for Turkey remain in U.S. hangars
New footage shows F-35A fighter jets produced for Turkey held in U.S. hangars as Ankara and Washington discuss the possibility of Turkey rejoining the program.
about 1 month ago

[POLITICS] 7 sources
Turkey seeks concrete steps for F-35 return following positive stance from Trump
President Erdoğan says Donald Trump has shown a positive willingness for Turkey to rejoin the F-35 program, and he expects this to lead to concrete steps soon.
about 1 month ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 3 sources
Turkey-US F-35 negotiations taking longer than expected, says Hakan Fidan
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that negotiations with the US to lift CAATSA sanctions and rejoin the F-35 program are taking longer than anticipated.

Sources

aksam.com.tr · bolgegazetesivan.com · cnn.gr · cretaone.gr · cumhuriyet.com.tr · gazetezebra.com.tr · haber.aero · halkinsesikibris.com · halktv.com.tr · kibrisgazetesi.com · lykavitos.gr · metrosport.gr · myportal.gr · newsbomb.gr · ordu.az · ruse.news · shiftdelete.net · sigmalive.com · sondakika.com · sputniknews.cn · telegrafi.com · trakyaninsesi.com · trakyaolay.com · tromaktiko.gr · turkgun.com · yenicaggazetesi.com.tr · yenimesaj.com.tr

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history