Russia Signals It May Allow Türkiye to Pass S-400 Systems to a Trusted Ally
NEW YORK: Russia has cracked open the door to a long simmering question in global defense circles: could Türkiye one day hand off its Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems to another country? According to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the answer is yes but only under careful conditions.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on September 26, Lavrov said Moscow would consider approving such a transfer, provided it receives clear consent rights and firm guarantees that the systems won’t be passed along yet again afterward.
Reporters pressed him on swirling reports that Türkiye might send the S-400s to the United Arab Emirates, and whether Russia had been part of any talks between Ankara and Washington on the matter. Lavrov confirmed that no formal request has landed on Moscow’s desk yet, though Russia remains willing to entertain the idea so long as the receiving nation is seen as responsible and maintains warm ties with Russia. He added that any recipient would need to promise the systems wouldn’t eventually make their way to Ukraine.
The S-400 saga has haunted U.S.-Türkiye relations since 2019, when Ankara’s purchase of the systems led Washington to expel Türkiye from the F-35 fighter jet program and slap sanctions on the country under CAATSA, the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
Now, in 2026, the tone in Washington appears to be softening. American officials have hinted at renewed willingness to welcome Türkiye back into the F-35 fold. Yet that reconciliation may come with strings attached: relocating the S-400s elsewhere could be one of the key bargaining chips on the table as both nations work to mend a years old rift.
