According to Bloomberg, Ankara is asking Moscow to approve the transfer of the Russian-made air defense systems it purchased to a third party. The move is aimed at removing the main obstacle to rejoining the U.S. F-35 stealth fighter program.
Turkey has formally requested Russia's approval to transfer its S-400 air defense systems to a third country, according to a Bloomberg report. The request, reported shortly after 14:00 Jerusalem, marks a concrete step in Ankara's effort to remove the main obstacle to rejoining the U.S. F-35 stealth fighter program. The development comes hours after a series of reports and Kremlin confirmations on Friday morning laid out the trajectory of the talks.
The sequence began Friday morning. At 11:42 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Turkey was examining the transfer or deactivation of its S-400 batteries as part of a strategy leveraging President Erdogan's ties with the Trump administration. Minutes later, at 11:59 Jerusalem, Turkish media reported that Ankara had sold the systems to an unnamed Gulf state, with one assessment pointing to the UAE as the buyer. The Kremlin then confirmed it held discussions with Turkey on the matter, describing the issue as 'particularly sensitive' (versions 3–5, 11:59 Jerusalem). By 11:59 Jerusalem, the Kremlin confirmed that talks on a possible resale had taken place (version 7). The current Bloomberg report now indicates that Ankara has moved from discussions to a formal request for Moscow's consent.
The moves come against the backdrop of growing signals from the Trump administration that it may approve the sale of F-35s to Turkey. As The Zioneer reported on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. may sell the jets but requires a legal review (Thu Jun 25, 12:39 Jerusalem). President Trump later said he would likely approve the sale (Thu Jun 25, 08:15 Jerusalem). Israeli officials and analysts have warned that the deal could jeopardize Israel's air superiority and lead to technology leakage to Iran, Russia, or China, as The Zioneer reported (Thu Jun 25, 20:21 Jerusalem; version 2).
The identity of the third country that would receive the S-400s has not been disclosed. The Kremlin's response to Turkey's formal request has not yet been reported. The deal also requires approval from the U.S. Congress, which remains uncertain, and Israeli opposition continues to be a factor.
9 developments
- StrongErdogan Leverages Trump Ties as Turkey Examines S-400 Transfer or Deactivation for F-35 Return
- DevelopingSegal: Turkey has not earned trust — F-35 sale to Erdogan endangers Israel's security
- DevelopingUS House lawmakers urge Rubio and Hegseth to block F-35 sale to Turkey over S-400 concerns
- StrongSecurity officials press Netanyahu to urgently speak with Trump over F-35 sale to Turkey
Source and signal
- Internal intake