The State Department has informed Congress that Turkey is ineligible to receive F-35 fighter jets as long as it operates a Russian air defense system, Ynet reports. The statement adds a specific condition to the earlier reported position that Ankara must fully comply with US law.
The State Department has informed Congress that Turkey is ineligible to receive F-35 fighter jets as long as it retains a Russian air defense system, according to a report by Ynet on Friday night. The statement adds a specific condition to the earlier position that Ankara must fully comply with US law. The condition explicitly ties the transfer to the removal of the Russian air defense system, widely understood to be the S-400 system that Ankara purchased in 2019.
The new development follows a series of State Department communications to Congress on Friday. Earlier that day, at 15:22 Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Post reported that a State Department letter stated Turkey does not meet the legal requirements for the F-35. That letter was dated July 22 and also expressed concern over Hamas financing networks operating from Turkish territory. The Zioneer has previously reported on the congressional opposition to the sale, including a bipartisan House letter from June 28 urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to block the transfer, and Senator Lindsey Graham's statement on July 7 that he would oppose the sale.
The administration's push to sell F-35s to Turkey has faced bipartisan opposition in Congress, with lawmakers citing the risk that Russia could gain access to sensitive U.S. technology through the S-400 integration. The Zioneer reported on July 7 that President Trump said he would not sell F-35s to Turkey, warning of regional imbalance. However, the Trump administration has since pursued the deal, leading to the current congressional notification.
It remains unclear whether the latest condition represents a final determination or a negotiating position. Turkey has not indicated any willingness to remove the S-400 system, which it activated in 2019. The timeline for any potential transfer remains uncertain.
4 developments
- DevelopingUS House lawmakers urge Rubio and Hegseth to block F-35 sale to Turkey over S-400 concerns
- StrongCol. (res.) Uzi Dayan: Turkey's F-35 acquisition would be dangerous, but likely blocked
- DevelopingSegal: Turkey has not earned trust — F-35 sale to Erdogan endangers Israel's security
- DevelopingUS Senator Lindsey Graham tells i24NEWS he will oppose F-35 sale to Turkey
Source and signal
- Open-source intake