New Offer from the U.S.: "If the S-400s are Stationed at Incirlik, Turkey Can Return to the F-35 Program"
According to a special report from the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, U.S. officials have made a new proposal to Turkey regarding the S-400 air defense system. The report states that U.S. officials suggested a 'soft' deactivation of the Russian missile systems as a way to remove the obstacle to selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
The report highlights that a detailed offer was made by the U.S. during the summer to resolve the issue surrounding Turkey's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. U.S. officials proposed placing the Russian missile system at the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey, within a U.S.-controlled section of the base. This way, the missiles would remain in Turkey, preserving Turkey’s agreement with Russia, while still addressing U.S. and NATO concerns.
The report explains that, despite the complexity of the issue, both sides now seem eager for successful negotiations. This solution would resolve a significant issue for Washington and NATO and allow Turkey to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program.
According to Kathimerini, Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former Pentagon official, confirmed that White House and Pentagon officials presented this proposal to high-level officials in July. Rubin noted that during a visit to Turkey on July 1-2, 2024, Deputy Defense Secretary for International Security Affairs, Celeste Wallander, and Senior Director for Europe at the U.S. National Security Council, Michael Carpenter, discussed reviving the F-35 deal with their Turkish counterparts.
Rubin said the U.S. asked Turkey to either hand over the S-400s to the U.S. or transfer them to the U.S.-controlled section at Incirlik in exchange for re-entering the F-35 program.
Following the visit, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara reported that Wallander and Carpenter met with Turkish officials to discuss "developing additional areas of enhanced partnership and strengthening long-standing defense ties."
When asked by Kathimerini about the status of the negotiations, Pentagon spokesperson Javan Rasnake reiterated the U.S. position: “Since 2019, we have communicated our stance to Turkey regarding the acquisition of the S-400 system and the legislative consequences. There has been no change in the U.S. position or the legislation.”
However, the fact that this plan was put forward, along with recent legislative attempts in Congress, suggests ongoing efforts to resolve the S-400 issue, with various options being considered. Rubin indicated that possible changes in U.S. policy or legislation could be imminent.
Rubin further commented on this intense phase happening just months before the U.S. elections, saying that the most dangerous time in U.S. foreign and defense policy is during the collapse of an administration, as outgoing presidents no longer feel accountable to voters. He added that the Biden administration appears more reckless than most.
According to Kathimerini sources, Turkey’s response at this stage has not been positive, but negotiations are expected to continue this week during the UN General Assembly in New York. Rubin added that Turkish officials rejected the proposal, stating they would keep the systems within Turkey. However, the deal is not dead, as the revival of the F-35 agreement remains on the agenda for both the U.S. and Turkey as leaders and security officials meet at the UN General Assembly.
The sentiment in Washington is that, despite the ongoing issues in U.S.-Turkey relations, there is willingness to lift sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and allow Turkey back into the F-35 program if the S-400 issue is resolved.
The systematic progress toward resolving this issue, following the resolution of the F-16 matter, suggests that U.S. officials are working to close this chapter carefully and deliberately.
tolgaozbek.com
