Turkey Assesses The 'Exchange' Of S-400 Missiles For Ukraine With US F-35 Fighter Jet Program Is Unrealistic

Illustration of the S-400 Triumf missile defense system. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru/Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation)

JAKARTA - Turkey has rejected the idea of sending the Russian-made S-400 Triumf missile defense system to Ukraine, to help the country deal with the Moscow invasion, in exchange for Turkey's return to the United States' F-35 fighter jet program.

"While it's unrealistic at the moment, this idea presents an opportunity to discuss the issues Turkey has been having lately with the West," said Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, citing the Daily Sabah of the Wall Street Journal, March 24.

Reports over the past week have suggested that the United States had informally made an offer to Turkey to send the S-400 missile defense system to Ukraine to ward off a Russian invasion.

Altun also cited an article published last week that suggested the transfer deal would lead to improved relations between Washington and Ankara.

He said the informal proposal would not improve relations, urging the West and the US to send F-35 fighter jets and Patriot batteries to Ankara unconditionally.

Illustration of the F-35 fighter jet. (Wikimedia Commons/USA Air Force)

Meanwhile, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) Ismail Demir said Turkey had no plans to abandon the S-400 system, which has been a long-standing point of contention between the two NATO allies. According to him, Turkey is able to determine its own policies.

"This is not a subject of discussion for us. We discussed this issue in the past. Leaving (the use of the S-400) is impossible," Demir told Russia-based newspaper Izvestia.

It is known that Ankara initially ordered more than 100 F-35 jets, built by Lockheed Martin Corp., but the US removed Turkey from the program in 2019 after it acquired the S-400 system from Russia.

Turkey has called the move unfair and demanded reimbursement for the $1.4 billion payment. Not only that, Turkey's purchase of the S-400 also triggered US sanctions. In December 2020, Washington blacklisted Demir SSB and three other employees.

Washington argues that the S-400 air missile system could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details about the F-35 jet, judging the system to be incompatible with NATO systems.

Patriot missile illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Darkone)

Meanwhile, Turkey insists the S-400 will not be integrated into NATO systems and will not pose a threat to the alliance.

Altun himself criticized the US decision on Ankara's choice to buy the air missile defense system, saying they ignored Ankara was the first to approach the US for the Patriot system procurement.

"Given that Turkey is located in one of the most dangerous and unstable regions in the world, and the threat facing Turkey did not magically disappear with Washington's rejection, Ankara must look for alternatives," Altun said, as former US President Donald Trump acknowledged the problem.

"Turkey had no choice to buy Patriots. Turkey still remembers how our allies pulled Patriot batteries from Turkey, during some of the most tense periods in Turkish-Russian relations. Based on experience, the Turkish people no longer take any informal promises by the West to supply Patriots seriously," said Altun.

"Turkey's unlawful removal from the F-35 program due to political considerations (which the US has not officially and lawfully notified Turkey of), makes it difficult to take 'Turkey's recovery' seriously," he said.

Altun also said it was the responsibility of the West and the US to normalize relations with Turkey.

"The Ukraine crisis has shown that geopolitical judgments from those who underestimate Turkey's strategic interests, claim NATO is 'brain dead' and think national borders are no longer the subject of discussion are misguided," Altun wrote.

Turkey expects to be treated by the West as it deserves, Altun said, adding: "This will require trust-building measures, not so-called informal proposals, to improve relations."