Turkey's foreign minister has confirmed that negotiations over the fate of Russia's S-400 missile systems are still very...

Turkey's foreign minister has confirmed that negotiations over the fate of Russia's S-400 missile systems are still very much alive. Hakan Fidan made the remarks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, pushing back directly against Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who had earlier suggested Ankara had submitted no formal request to Moscow about transferring the systems to a third country. When asked about the talks, Fidan fired back with "Who said we aren't talking?" and confirmed discussions are continuing "with everyone." He declined to give any timeline, saying he simply couldn't say when a deal might be reached or whether anything would be finalized by the end of the year. Fidan also refused to confirm reports circulating in Turkish media that the S-400s could be transferred to the United Arab Emirates. That scenario has gained traction because offloading the Russian systems to a third country would effectively clear the path for Turkey to rejoin the F-35 program, from which it was removed in 2019 after purchasing the S-400s. Lavrov, speaking earlier the same day, said Russia could agree to a transfer under specific conditions. The receiving country would need to maintain friendly relations with Moscow and would have to guarantee the systems would not be resold or transferred elsewhere. Moscow's official approval would also be required for any deal to move forward. The situation has significant implications for NATO and for the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey rejoining the F-35 program would substantially upgrade its air power, which has direct bearing on the military balance across the Aegean and over Cyprus. #Turkey #F35 #S400