Turkey eyes $20bn military purchase from US if S-400 sanctions are lifted
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that Ankara is ready to purchase billions of dollars worth of spare parts, ammunition and electronics for its military if the US lifts sanctions over Turkey’s acquisition of Russian S-400 missile systems.
The statement highlights Turkey’s push to restore defence trade with Washington, which has been strained since it was barred from the F-35 programme in 2019 over the deal with Moscow.
Fidan suggested that lifting the restrictions might require both a presidential decision and a legal amendment. His remarks signal Turkey’s push to revive defence ties with Washington if sanctions are eased.
"Legal experts are working on this issue," Fidan said during televised comments, adding that consultations had already begun with the Biden administration prior to Trump assuming office.
Fidan said Ankara hopes to reclaim six F-35 fighter jets that were originally built for the Turkish Air Force but have been withheld by Washington since 2019.
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The jets have reportedly been stored in a warehouse for years following Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 programme over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defence system.
Fidan also expressed Ankara’s desire to see Turkish defence firms be reinstated in the F-35 production chain. The request signals Turkey’s broader effort to restore its role in the advanced fighter jet programme amid ongoing tensions over defence ties with the US.
The current US sanctions against Turkey were imposed in 2020 under the Trump administration through the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (Caatsa).
The law mandates penalties for nations making significant defence purchases from Russia - in Turkey’s case, triggered by its acquisition of the S-400 system.
The sanctions marked a major rupture in US-Turkey defence cooperation and led to Ankara's removal from the F-35 programme.
Now, Turkey is seeking to reverse these measures as it works to restore military ties with Washington.
“There are other issues affected by Caatsa sanctions,” Fidan said, adding: "There are approximately $20bn worth of spare parts that our Presidency of Defence Industries and Turkish companies wish to procure from the United States.”
He explained that such purchases are currently blocked due to both legal and psychological barriers created by the sanctions, which deter companies because of the risk of penalties.
“Although the original designs belong to us, many essential materials - such as spare parts for weapons and equipment, as well as ammunition - are sourced from abroad. The United States is one of those sources,” Fidan noted.
The foreign minister specifically said Ankara is seeking a large-scale ammunition purchase from the Trump administration, including supplies for the Turkish Navy and Air Force, as well as electronics for ground forces.
“This is a major package, and we believe it’s something Trump would support,” he added.
Earlier this week, Middle East Eye reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally lobbied US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in two separate phone calls to block F-35 sales to Turkey.
Netanyahu reportedly told his counterparts that he would raise the issue with Trump during his recent visit to Washington.
Under US law, Turkey must fully relinquish possession of the S-400 system to be readmitted into the F-35 programme.
Any attempt to deploy the S-400 elsewhere - such as relocating it to Syria - could alarm Israel.
Israel has traditionally maintained a veto over US arms sales to other Middle Eastern countries to ensure its qualitative military edge in the region.
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