Largest-Ever Arms Barter: Turkey to Offload S-400 Missiles to a Gulf Nation for US F-35s?

The Kremlin has confirmed that Russia is in communication with Turkey regarding the future of the Moscow-manufactured S-400 air defence system, amid reports that Ankara is considering transferring the system to a Gulf nation. The move is widely seen as an effort by Turkey to pave the way for its return to the United States’ F-35 stealth fighter programme. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently neither confirmed nor denied reports of a possible transfer of Turkey’s S-400 system, but acknowledged that discussions on the issue are indeed underway between Moscow and Ankara. ‘I can say one thing here: this is a very sensitive issue. However, we have been in contact with the Turkish side on this matter, and we will continue to be in contact with them on this matter,’ Peskov said, as reported by several defence media outlets. The statement followed Turkish media reports that Ankara was considering relocating the S-400 air defence system to an unnamed country in the Gulf region. Senior Turkish journalist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote in the Hürriyet daily that the S-400 system has been sold to a third country. ‘According to the information I have gathered, the S-400 system has been sold to a third country. The sale will be announced today. The S-400 system will be shipped to a Gulf country,’ Selvi wrote. The report has not been confirmed by the Turkish government. Several media outlets have named the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as potential recipients of the Russian-made air defence system. The S-400 issue has resurfaced following signals from US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara earlier this week, suggesting a potential improvement in defence relations between Washington and Ankara. When asked whether Turkey could rejoin the F-35 fighter programme, Trump gave a response deemed more open than the previous US administration’s stance. ‘Why wouldn’t we do it? Turkey, in many ways, is far more loyal than other countries we thought were loyal,’ Trump said. However, Turkey’s possession of the S-400 system remains a major obstacle. The US expelled Turkey from the Joint Strike Fighter programme in 2019 after Ankara proceeded with the purchase of the S-400 air defence system from Russia. At the time, Turkey was one of the key industrial partners in the F-35 programme and had planned to purchase around 100 of the stealth fighter jets.