Turkey Set to Sell S-400 Systems to Gulf State

Turkey is expected to transfer its Russian-made S-400 air defense systems to a Gulf nation, according to the pro-government newspaper Hürriyet, although no official confirmation has been issued.

Columnist Abdulkadir Selvi reported that Ankara had finalized the deal after resolving last-minute issues, with an announcement expected shortly. The report said the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been mentioned as potential recipients, but stressed that the buyer has not been officially identified.

The reported sale comes days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed confidence that Turkey could rejoin the US-led F-35 fighter jet program following talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Trump said no final decision had been made.

Turkey purchased four divisions of the Russian S-400 air defense system under a $2.5 billion agreement signed in 2017, with deliveries completed in 2019. The acquisition prompted the United States to remove Turkey from the F-35 program over concerns that the Russian system could compromise the stealth fighter's security.