---
title: "Turkey asks Moscow to allow resale of S-400 to return to F-35 program"
description: "Turkey is asking Russia to allow the resale of S-400 systems to third countries to regain access to F-35 fighter jets. The Kremlin has confirmed negotiations but has not yet granted consent for re-export, while US senators fear technology leaks. ⚔️🇹🇷🇷🇺"
date: 2026-07-10T21:16:58.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/turkey-asks-moscow-to-allow-resale-of-s-400-to-return-to-f-35-program
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Turkey asks Moscow to allow resale of S-400 to return to F-35 program

![Field with military installations against mountainous backdrop — symbol of geopolitical tension over S-400 and F-35](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/11/turciya-prosit-moskvu-razreshit-pereprodazhu-s-400-radi-f-35/turciya-prosit-moskvu-razreshit-pereprodazhu-s-400-radi-f-35-1.webp)

Ankara has taken an unprecedented diplomatic step by asking Russia to approve the transfer of S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems to a third country. The initiative, made public by Bloomberg and Turkish industry publications, aims to remove the main obstacle to Turkey's return to the F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighter jet supply program.

### The key to lifting sanctions

The essence of Ankara's proposal is the relocation of Russian air defense systems. The Turkish government hopes that getting rid of the S-400 systems will allow it to lift the strict sanctions imposed under the CAATSA law and restore its status in the production chain of American fighter jets. The official Kremlin confirmed the fact of consultations at the highest departmental level, however, Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov, speaking on July 10, 2026, characterized this issue as "ultra-sensitive".

As the Kremlin representative noted, final legal approval for re-export from the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) of Russia has not yet been granted. Diplomatic contacts continue in a closed mode.

### Who will be the buyer?

The question of the fate of the Russian systems was raised substantively by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during negotiations with Vladimir Putin in Kazan in June 2026. Political commentators of the newspaper Hürriyet name the Gulf states as potential beneficiaries of the deal. In particular, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have shown interest in modernizing their air defense systems.

### Legal deadlock and Russia's position

It is important to understand that the implementation of this scenario is hindered by strict legal norms. According to standard terms of international contracts in the field of military-technical cooperation and norms of international law, the buyer does not have the legal right to re-export, transfer, or assign rights to operate high-tech weapons to third countries without obtaining an official end-user certificate and direct written consent from the state of manufacture.

Previously, the Turkish side tried to find a compromise without direct resale, offering Washington the conservation of batteries under US control or even returning the equipment to the manufacturer in Russia. However, the US administration rejected all these options, insisting on the complete elimination of Russian presence in Turkey's air defense.

### Congress factor and Trump's position

The situation is complicated by US domestic politics. At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8, 2026, US President Donald Trump publicly expressed readiness to review the sanctions regime, stating the inadvisability of pressuring key allies. Nevertheless, the final decision depends on Congress.

A group of US senators maintains a skeptical approach. Deputies insist that simply transferring the S-400 to a third party does not solve the basic security risks associated with the possible compromise of F-35 stealth technologies by Russian surveillance algorithms. Thus, even with Moscow's consent, Ankara will have to overcome serious resistance in Washington.