Turkey's S-400 Gulf Resale: Bypassing US Sanctions to Unlock the F-35
The high-stakes diplomatic effort to resolve the seven-year defense standoff between the United States and Turkey over the Russian-made S-400 air defense system is nearing a breakthrough. Following discussions at the NATO Ankara Summit NATO Ankara Summit: The $50B Deep Strike Pivot and the US-Spain Trade Feud, a high-level Turkish parliamentary delegation led by Hulusi Akar—the former defense minister and current chairman of the parliamentary defense committee—met in Washington on July 16, 2026, with senior members of the U.S. House Armed Services, Intelligence, and Foreign Affairs committees. The meetings yielded the most optimistic signals of a resolution since Turkey was expelled from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in 2019.
Washington Meetings and Congressional Progress
The Washington talks have established a concrete political and military path forward:
- Congressional Support: Representative Mike Turner (Ohio), Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told Akar directly that he believed Turkey could rejoin the F-35 program, marking a significant shift in congressional sentiment.
- Joint Working Group: A joint political and military working group has been established to iron out the technical and legal details of a deal.
- Increased Trust: Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gumrukcu stated that Ankara now has "full confidence" in the U.S. administration to deliver its side of the agreement, adding, "This time we really feel closer. We feel that we might be able to resolve this issue."
The S-400 Disposal Dilemma
Under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the U.S. President must certify to Congress that Turkey no longer possesses the S-400 system before sanctions can be lifted and F-35 deliveries can resume. A mandatory 90-day congressional review period applies once this certification is submitted.
While reports have circulated that Turkey is actively negotiating the transfer of its S-400 batteries to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to satisfy the "no longer possesses" requirement, Hulusi Akar publicly denied that Ankara was currently planning a transfer to the UAE. However, the denial itself highlights that the disposal of the S-400 is a live, active negotiation. Turkish National Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk confirmed that work on the S-400 is "continuing in multiple dimensions."
Whether the Russian-built systems are placed in monitored storage, deactivated under U.S. supervision, or transferred to an approved third party, both sides are closer than ever to a deal that would restore Turkey's role as a primary operator of advanced fifth-generation stealth fighters in NATO's southern flank.
"Levent Gumrukcu, speaking the same day, offered the most optimistic characterization of the negotiations in the history of the dispute. 'This time we really feel closer. We feel that we might be able to resolve this issue,' Gumrukcu told Anadolu Agency. He added that for the first time in ten to fifteen years of difficult bilateral relations, Ankara has 'full confidence in the United States administration that when we reach a deal, they are going to deliver their part.'" — Eastern Herald, July 18, 2026