Türkiye says talks with Washington are continuing over six F-35 fighter jets it purchased but never received, as Ankara pushes for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on its defence industry.
The Turkish Defence Ministry said on Thursday that it expects a “positive” outcome from negotiations over the aircraft, which have remained in the U.S. since Türkiye was removed from the F-35 programme in 2019.
“Our contacts with U.S. authorities regarding the delivery of six F-35 fighter jets produced for our country are continuing,” a ministry spokesman said at a weekly press briefing.
Ankara also renewed its call for Washington to lift sanctions imposed on Türkiye's defence industry under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
The ministry expressed optimism that the dispute could soon be resolved in the mutual interests of the two NATO allies.
On Wednesday, Deputy Defence Minister Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu said Ankara was holding “intensive” discussions with Washington over the issue, which has strained bilateral defence ties for several years.
The dispute began with Türkiye's 2019 purchase of Russia's S-400 air defence system, which Washington argues could compromise sensitive NATO aircraft technology.
Türkiye joined the U.S.-led F-35 programme in 2002 and had originally planned to purchase 100 aircraft.
According to Ankara, it has already paid approximately $1.4 billion towards the programme.
The purchase prompted Washington to remove Türkiye from the multinational fighter jet project in 2019, followed by sanctions on its defence industry in 2020.
The renewed talks come as Ankara seeks to modernise its air force and expand domestic fighter jet production, including the development of its fifth-generation KAAN fighter aircraft.
Thursday's briefing also covered the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed in August by Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, against a backdrop of escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi territory.
The ministry stressed that any deployment of Turkish troops under the agreement would require parliamentary approval and the necessary legal authorisation.
It added that the extent of any military assistance would depend on Saudi Arabia's operational needs and agreements between the three countries.
On Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the pact would be submitted to parliament for ratification “in coming days.”
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