Washington Issues an Ultimatum to Ankara: Russian S-400s or American F-35s

The US ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, said that Washington is continuing negotiations with Ankara on a possible return to the F-35 fighter jet program. However, the condition remains unchanged: Turkey must stop operating and give up the Russian S-400 air defense systems.

⚡️ The US diplomat described the current talks as “the most productive of the past decade” and linked them to “positive relations” between Presidents Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. According to Barrack, both sides hope for a breakthrough in the coming months that would meet the security requirements of both countries.

❗️ Turkey purchased the Russian S-400 air defense systems in 2017, after which the United States excluded Ankara from the F-35 program. US law explicitly prohibits the delivery of fighter jets to countries that operate Russian-made air defense systems.

Previously, Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that Turkey has no intention of abandoning the S-400s under pressure from Washington. However, Ankara could agree to establish a monitoring mechanism for their use — a compromise solution that would allow both sides to save face.