US leaves door open for Türkiye's return to F-35 fighter jet programme

The US has held out the possibility that Türkiye could return to the F-35 joint strike fighter programme if an ongoing row can be resolved.

"There's no change to our view that the F-35 programme for Türkiye is incompatible with their use of the [Russian] S-300 and S-400 missiles," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.

"So we're still having those discussions, and should Türkiye be able to resolve our concerns about that, then there could be a restoration of movement into the F-35 programme," he said.

"That's where we are," he added.

The US suspended Türkiye from the F-35 fighter jet programme in 2019 after objecting to its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defence system, claiming Moscow's system would endanger the fighter jets and is inoperable with NATO systems.

Ankara has said repeatedly that there is no conflict between the two and had proposed a commission to study the issue.

Türkiye has also said it fulfilled its obligations on the F-35s and that its suspension was unwarranted.

Kirby's comments mirror those made by Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who said on Monday while visiting Türkiye that Washington would "welcome Türkiye back into the F-35 family" if the S-400 row was resolved.

Türkiye had joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Programme (JSF) in 2007.

Türkiye had procured the S-400 missile defence systems from Russia after talks with the US on its American Patriot defence systems had broken down following the Obama administration's refusal to sell the Patriots to Ankara.