Turkey is reportedly close to closing one of the most delicate chapters in its relationship with the United States by selling its Russian-made S-400 air defense system to a Gulf country.
The information was reported by columnists from the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, who claim that the agreement has already been concluded and could be officially announced soon. The negotiation is part of Ankara’s strategy to remove one of the main obstacles to normalizing relations with Washington.
The acquisition of the S-400 in 2019 prompted a strong reaction from the United States, which imposed sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA law and removed the country from the F-35 stealth fighter program. Washington has consistently argued that the presence of the Russian system posed a risk to the security of F-35 technology, since its radars could collect sensitive information about the aircraft.
According to the information released, the United States and Turkey had been negotiating for some time over the transfer of the systems to a third country, which was considered the only solution capable of meeting US legal requirements for a possible suspension of sanctions. Even so, the process will depend on formal certification by the US government and a review by Congress, which may approve or reject the measure if it determines that the requirements established by law have not been fully met.
Although there is still no official confirmation regarding the buyer, sources indicate that the United Arab Emirates or Qatar may have acquired the system amid rising tensions in the Middle East and growing concern over threats from Iranian missiles and drones.
If the sale is effectively confirmed, Turkey could not only pave the way for a military rapprochement with the United States, but also obtain a financial return from the sale of equipment that, for years, symbolized one of the greatest diplomatic impasses between Ankara and Washington.
+ Chinese J-15T launches from aircraft carrier Fujian with four anti-ship missiles for the first time
Source: Defence Blog | Photos: Wikimedia | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
