
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Donald Trump is ready to transfer F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, but current American legislation prohibits this due to Ankara’s possession of Russian S-400 air defense systems.
AI-generated summary
Türkiye was excluded from the F-35 program after purchasing Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, which led to the imposition of US sanctions.
President Donald Trump would really like Türkiye to get the F-35 fighter jets it has already paid for. Thus, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an interview with Kathimerini, commented on Ankara’s request to purchase aircraft.
At the same time, the diplomat noted that American legislation does not allow this until the issue of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems purchased by Turkey from Russia is resolved.
Rubio said Türkiye is aware of the legal restrictions and is exploring possible solutions, but stressed that the issue remains unresolved and the transfer is currently prohibited.
Previously, Netanyahu expressed the opinion that the transfer of F-35 fighters to Turkey would upset the balance of power in the Middle East, since Ankara “has aggressive intentions.”
Before this, it became known that Trump could inform Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his readiness to lift the ban on the sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, which he himself imposed.

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