Russian-made air defense system is reportedly set to be transferred to either Qatar or the United Arab Emirates.
Turkey is expected to announce the sale of its Russian-made S-400 air defense system, a decision that could clear the way for the country to receive six F-35 fighter jets that have remained undelivered since its removal from the program.
According to Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper, the sale was finalized on Thursday. Veteran political analyst Abdulkadir Selvi reported that an official announcement is expected on Friday, with either Qatar or the United Arab Emirates set to acquire the system.
The possibility of transferring the S-400 batteries to a Gulf country gained momentum during Donald Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO Summit, following discussions between Turkish and American officials.
The proposal followed months of diplomatic contacts, including talks between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, along with meetings between delegations from both countries. During those discussions, alternatives such as dismantling the S-400 system or placing it in storage at a US military facility were ruled out.
Because the missiles were purchased from Russia, any transfer to another country required Moscow's approval under the original end-user agreement. Russian officials reportedly did not object in principle. Before Trump's visit to Ankara, Fidan traveled to Moscow for meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin.
Once the transfer is completed, expectations are that President Trump will notify Congress, an important step before Washington can proceed with the delivery process.
Turkey is seeking to take possession of the six F-35 aircraft it paid for in 2018 before it was removed from the multinational F-35 program following its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
