Following the NATO Summit in The Hague, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening its air capabilities, stating that the country remains interested in rejoining the F-35 fighter jet program and is engaged in ongoing negotiations with its allies.
“We have not given up on the F-35s,” Erdoğan said, noting that the issue was raised during his meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump. “We discussed the F-35s with Mr. Trump. We’ve already paid around $1.3 to 1.4 billion into the program, and he showed goodwill on this matter,” he added.
Erdoğan clarified that the S-400 missile defense system was not discussed during the meeting, describing it as a concluded matter. However, he emphasized that Türkiye continues to work on multiple defense platforms in parallel, including the Eurofighter Typhoon.
“There are positive developments regarding the Eurofighter. We are holding talks with the United Kingdom and Germany. Our efforts are ongoing, and we see a constructive response to our intentions,” Erdoğan said, underlining Türkiye’s interest in expanding its air combat fleet.
On future defense spending, Erdoğan stated that Türkiye’s contributions to NATO and its broader military modernization efforts will be sustained through the national budget over the next decade. “We will continue allocating necessary resources step by step from our own budget to support NATO,” he said.
In addition to aircraft procurement, Erdoğan reiterated the importance of enhancing Türkiye’s missile capabilities and self-reliance in air defense, describing it as a long-term strategic priority.