Turkey is seeking ways to return the Russian-made S-400 air defense system it purchased nearly a decade ago, a step that could remove a major obstacle in its strained relations with the United States and other NATO allies, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The move could reopen the door for Ankara to rejoin the US-led F-35 fighter jet program, from which it was expelled in 2019 after acquiring the Russian system.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan raised the S-400 issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Turkmenistan last week, following earlier discussions between officials from both countries, the sources told Bloomberg.
Bloomberg cited Turkish officials as declining to comment and the Kremlin as saying no such request was made during the leaders’ talks.
The push comes amid renewed pressure from Washington for Turkey to abandon the system. Erdoğan discussed both the S-400s and Turkey’s interest in the F-35 program during a White House meeting with US President Donald Trump in September.
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and a close ally of Trump, said earlier this month that Ankara was nearing a decision to give up the missiles and suggested the dispute could be resolved within four to six months.
Turkish officials believe removing the S-400s could lead to the lifting of US sanctions imposed on Turkey’s defense industry and allow Ankara to regain access to advanced US military technology, including the F-35. Turkey’s top diplomat recently said he expects the sanctions to be lifted very soon.
Turkey bought the S-400 system during a period of deteriorating ties with its NATO partners, which began under former US President Barack Obama and worsened after a failed coup against Erdoğan in 2016. At the time Ankara said it had sought to purchase US-made Patriot missiles but claimed Washington was unwilling to finalize a deal, an argument Turkish officials later cited to justify turning to Russia.
Ankara now hopes its role as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine could make Moscow more willing to accept the return of the system, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
Turkey is also seeking reimbursement for the billions of dollars it paid for the S-400s, the sources said. One option under discussion would involve offsetting the cost against Turkey’s oil and natural gas imports from Russia, though any such arrangement would require separate negotiations.
NATO has warned that operating the Russian system alongside Western aircraft could allow Moscow to gather sensitive intelligence. Turkey says it does not actively use the S-400.
Turkey has NATO’s second-largest military after the United States and has often faced criticism from allies over its close ties with Russia. Erdoğan has rejected those claims, saying Turkey follows a balanced foreign policy.
That approach has been reflected in Turkey’s stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ankara has refused to impose sanctions on Moscow but has limited the passage of military vessels through the Bosporus and supplied weapons to Kyiv. Erdoğan also maintains direct channels with both Trump and Putin.
Washington removed Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 and imposed sanctions the following year under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, cutting off Turkey’s defense industry from sensitive US technology.
The Lockheed Martin-built F-35 is widely regarded as the most advanced fighter jet in service and costs more than $100 million per aircraft in its most expensive configuration.
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