Turkey is continuing talks on the possible re-export of the S-400 air defense systems purchased from Russia, but there is no final decision yet. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that contacts on the subject are continuing and the public will be informed when the process is completed.
„Our talks with everyone are continuing. When the process is completed, we will share the developments with the public“, Fidan said in response to a question about the future of the systems.His words were quoted by the Turkish media „Aydinluk“ after talks during the Turkish delegation's visit to New York. The statement confirmed that Ankara had not concluded the discussions, but did not provide details about the possible recipient or the terms of the possible deal.
Moscow: No formal request yet
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow had not yet received an official request from Turkey to transfer the S-400s outside the country. He said Turkish authorities were aware that the systems were delivered under a contract and that any transfer required Russian approval.
Lavrov said that Russia could consider such a proposal if it received guarantees about the final recipient and that the systems would not be subsequently transferred to another country. He did not confirm that the United Arab Emirates had been selected as the recipient, suggesting that there may not even be a final plan at this time.
Possible recipients are the UAE or Qatar
In July, Turkish media reported that Ankara was discussing a possible transfer of the S-400 to a Gulf state. The options mentioned included the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. This information has not been officially confirmed by any of the countries involved.
The Kremlin confirmed in July that Russia and Turkey had discussed a possible resale of the systems, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov describing the topic as extremely sensitive. The Turkish Ministry of Defense said at the time that work on the future status of the S-400s was continuing and that specific developments would be announced publicly.
The possible re-export is linked to the ongoing dispute between Ankara and Washington. Turkey received the first components of the Russian systems in 2019, after which the US removed it from the F-35 fighter jet program and imposed sanctions under the CAATSA law in 2020. Washington insists that the presence of the S-400 in Turkey's arsenal is incompatible with the operation of the F-35.
In September, US Congressman Darrell Issa told the “Hurriyet Daily News“ that transferring the systems to the United Arab Emirates could be one of the options for resolving the dispute. He confirmed that talks were underway on the subject, but did not report any agreement.
So far, what has been confirmed is that negotiations are ongoing, and Moscow is awaiting a formal proposal from Ankara. There is no publicly announced deal, recipient country or deadline for completion of the process.
Sources: Aydinluk, Hurriyet Daily News, Cumhuriyet