Erdogan Expresses Confidence in Turkey’s Access to F-35 Fighter Jets

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Thursday that Ankara is confident about regaining participation in the U.S. F-35 fighter jet program, emphasizing expectations for concrete actions from Washington. He highlighted President Donald Trump’s “positive willingness” during discussions at the UN General Assembly in New York, expressing confidence that this alignment would translate into tangible progress. “We are continuing our discussions on this matter. I am confident we will achieve results,” Erdogan told reporters prior to departing for home.

The ongoing dialogue reflects Turkey’s longstanding efforts to resolve the protracted F-35 dispute, which dates back to 2017. The conflict intensified when Ankara procured Russia’s S-400 missile defense system, prompting the U.S. to expel Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 and impose additional sanctions the following year. These measures severely impacted Turkish defense initiatives and strained bilateral relations. During the NATO summit in Ankara in early July, Trump indicated he was evaluating Turkey’s potential reintegration, stating, “It’s a decision we’re going to make,” which temporarily invigorated Turkish optimism for resolution.