Russia Opens Door for Turkey to Move S-400 Missiles and Resolve F-35 Dispute
Russia could consent to the move of Turkey’s S-400 missiles to a friendly country under conditions, Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists on Saturday.
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, the Russian official was asked about reports that Turkey could transfer the Russian-made air defense systems to the United Arab Emirates and whether Moscow was involved in discussions between Ankara and Washington over the issue.
Lavrov said Russia was open to consider such proposals but had not received a specific request yet.
“There is such a possibility when a country where these S-400 systems will be moved to is responsible and maintains friendly relations with Russia,” Lavrov was quoted as saying. “Thus, we can ensure that those systems are not delivered somewhere else from there. This is of critical importance.”
S-400 acquisition removes Turkey from F-35 fighter jets program
Turkey acquired the S-400 air defense system from Russia in 2019, triggering sanctions by the United States, which removed the country from its F-35 program.
Since then, Turkey has tried to revive the F-35 deal, but Washington argues that the Russian system conflicts with NATO defense architecture and could create security risks for the F-35 platform. Last December, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey and the United States were moving towards a deal that could lift US CAATSA sanctions tied to Ankara’s purchase of the Russian S‑400 system.
However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear that the sanctions in place mean that Turkey cannot be accepted back on the F-35 program while in possession of Russian S-400 missiles. Despite President Donald Trump’s July 7 pledge in Ankara to lift sanctions and consider F-35 sales to Turkey, that political commitment does not remove the legal obstacles surrounding the deal.
In summer 2026, reports indicated that Washington and Ankara were examining possible formulas involving the transfer, storage, or disposal of the S-400 systems, although no agreement has been publicly confirmed.
Fidan addressed the negotiations again during a September 21 appearance in New York. He said both governments retained the political will to reach an agreement, although negotiations were taking longer than Ankara expected.
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