Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Envoy: Turkey’s 2016 S‑400 purchase prompted U.S. sanctions; F‑35 and F‑16 talks continue
Loading...
Summary
Ambassador Barak recounted the origins of U.S. restrictions on Turkey’s F‑35 participation after Ankara purchased Russia’s S‑400 system following the 2016 coup attempt, and said negotiations are ongoing to restore broader defense cooperation.
Ambassador Thomas Barak described the long‑running U.S. dispute with Turkey over defense purchases, saying the 2016 attempted coup and Ankara’s subsequent purchase of a Russian S‑400 air‑defense system prompted congressional sanctions and halted Turkey’s participation in the F‑35 program.
Barak recounted that after the coup attempt in 2016 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sought stronger internal protection and purchased the S‑400. “Congress came back and said, you can’t do that,” Barak said, describing follow‑on action that removed Turkey from parts of the F‑35 program and paused F‑16 modernization work. He said the restrictions led Turkey to invest heavily in indigenous drone production, and that Turkish Bayraktar TB2‑type drones have been prominent in recent conflicts.
Barak said negotiations are ongoing to “turn back on the clock” for some elements of defense cooperation, but added that F‑35 decisions require separate congressional approval from discussions about F‑16 upgrades and Patriot missile sales. “Those discussions are going on simultaneously,” he said, noting Turkey has been cooperative on Ukraine and other regional issues despite past tensions.
Why it matters: Turkey is a major NATO ally whose defense procurement choices have bilateral and alliance implications. Barak said improved ties have helped U.S. diplomacy on Ukraine and Gaza, and that restoration of deeper defense ties depends on congressional approval and technical issues tied to sophisticated avionics.
Ending: Barak expressed cautious optimism that ongoing talks could produce closer cooperation while noting the negotiations span multiple systems and political authorities.
