NATO Leaders Debate Türkiye's Return to F-35 Program in Ankara

During the 36th NATO Summit in Ankara, leaders and officials debated the potential return of Türkiye to the F-35 fighter jet program. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, argued that any decision must consider the sensitivities of all allies and respect sovereign rights. While expressing a desire to improve bilateral relations, Mitsotakis highlighted Türkiye's threat of a casus belli against Greece, asserting that such threats cannot be ignored within the alliance.

United States senators indicated that Türkiye's return would enhance NATO's collective defense capacity and benefit the U.S. They noted that reentry is possible if a solution is reached regarding the security threats posed by Türkiye's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system, which led to its 2019 removal from the program. U.S. officials emphasized that providing Türkiye with F-35 resources would better position the alliance against Russian incursions in Europe.

Beyond the F-35 discussions, the summit focused on regional security and the modernization of the defense industrial base. Officials reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine against Russian invasion. Additionally, some NATO allies are considering contributing to mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz to facilitate negotiations to end the war with Iran.