# Turkey secretly sold its Russian-made S-400 air defence systems to a Gulf state, Hürriyet reports > Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, citing senior defence columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, reported on July 10 that Turkey had already completed the sale of its Russian-made S-400 systems to a Gulf state, most likely the UAE or Qatar; an official announcement was expected the same day; analysts and Greek media said the sale could reopen negotiations for Turkey to obtain US-made F-35 jets, from which Ankara has been excluded since 2019 **Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-07-10 · heads: The Quiet Shift, Whose Money · 25 takes · 8 lenses · 10 regions ## Summary [Turkey](/en/entity/turkey) has sold the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile systems it purchased in 2017 to a Gulf state, most likely the [UAE](/en/entity/uae) or [Qatar](/en/entity/qatar), according to Hürriyet's senior defence columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, who reported the deal was concluded and an official announcement was expected July 10. Turkey purchased four divisions of the S-400 from [Russia](/en/entity/russia) for approximately US$2.5 billion, and the acquisition triggered Ankara's expulsion from the US F-35 program in 2019. At the NATO Ankara summit on July 7, US President [Donald Trump](/en/entity/person/donald-trump) signalled F-35s could be offered to [Turkey](/en/entity/turkey), and analysts in Greece and India read the S-400 disposal as the necessary precondition for that deal to proceed. Neither the Turkish government, the US, nor any named Gulf state had officially confirmed the transaction in available reporting. ## The split Turkey's pro-government Hürriyet framed the sale as Erdogan's diplomatic triumph, opening the F-35 pathway. Turkey's opposition press, including Turkish Minute, noted Erdogan publicly avoided the S-400 question at the NATO summit while Trump left Ankara without committing to the F-35, saying "haven't totally made up my mind." Russia's Kremlin, via Peskov, confirmed talks and described the matter as "extremely sensitive," signalling Moscow expects leverage in approving any transfer under the 2017 end-user clause. US hawks at FDD and JINSA argued CAATSA lifting does not automatically unlock the F-35, pointing to the separate NDAA Section 1245 bar and noting that placing a Russian radar system near US Gulf bases recreates the same detection-risk that led to Turkey's 2019 expulsion from the programme. India's defence press spotted an unintended consequence: Turkey's CAATSA resolution sets a precedent that effectively covers India's own US$5.43 billion S-400 deal, which has never been sanctioned. ## By the numbers - US$2.5 billion, Turkey's original 2017 purchase price for four S-400 divisions from Russia - 7 years, Turkey held the systems before the reported sale - 2019, year Turkey was excluded from the F-35 program over the S-400 ## Why it matters The S-400 has been the central obstacle in Turkey-US defence ties since 2019 and a recurring source of [NATO Alliance](/en/entity/nato-alliance) tension. The disposal, if finalised with Russian consent, removes the primary stated bar to Turkey's F-35 acquisition and resolves NATO's concern about Russian radar signatures. Two legal locks remain: CAATSA lifting is Trump's executive action; NDAA Section 1245 is a Congressional statute requiring formal certification that Turkey no longer possesses the system, with no presidential waiver. India, holding US$5.43 billion of the same Russian hardware, watches closely: Turkey's resolution is an unintended precedent that effectively resolves India's own CAATSA exposure without India needing to divest a single system. ## What to watch - Erdogan's official announcement of the sale and the buyer's identity, expected imminently; absence this week signals Russia is still extracting concessions - Whether Russia formally confirms consent under the end-user clause, without which no transfer is legally complete - Whether NDAA Section 1245 certification is submitted to Congress, the step that actually unlocks F-35 transfer authority - How India responds publicly to Turkey's CAATSA resolution, which sets a precedent for its own Russian hardware ## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens) ### Greek security-policy perspective, F-35 implications - **Athens Times** (Greece, en) — Athens Times read the Hürriyet report from Greece's vantage point, noting the S-400 sale to a Gulf country could ease Turkey's path to the F-35 program and shift NATO's internal balance; the outlet emphasised the absence of official confirmation while calling an announcement imminent. > "Hürriyet reports Turkey's S-400 systems have been sold to a Gulf state, potentially clearing a path for renewed F-35 talks, though no official confirmation yet." Source: https://athens-times.com/hurriyet-s-400-systems-sold-to-gulf-country-official-announcements-expected-today/ ### South Asian defence-import perspective - **India TV News** (India, en) — India TV News led with the US dimension, noting the S-400 sale followed US President Trump's signals at the NATO Ankara summit that F-35s were available to Turkey; it identified the buyer as likely UAE or Qatar and noted Turkey had paid approximately US$2.5 billion for four divisions in 2017. > "A report by a local Turkish newspaper has said that Ankara has sold its S-400 air defence systems, which it purchased from Russia in 2017, to a Gulf nation, which is likely the UAE or Qatar." Source: https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/turkey-sells-russia-made-s-400-air-defence-systems-to-gulf-nation-after-us-signals-sale-of-f-35s-report-2026-07-10-1047812 ### unlabelled - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/world/2026/07/10/94286.html - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/world/2026/07/10/94299.html - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/world/2026/07/10/94314.html - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/world/2026/07/10/94331.html - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/world/2026/07/10/94342.html - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/russia/2026/07/10/94370.html - **News-Pravda (Turkey)** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://turkey.news-pravda.com/en/world/2026/07/10/94391.html - **APA (Azerbaijan)** (Azerbaijan, en) — Source: https://en.apa.az/europe/turkiye-sells-russian-made-s-400-systems-to-gulf-country-hurriyet-515425 - **Pravda.ru (English)** (Russia, en) — Source: https://english.pravda.ru/news/world/167322-turkey-s400-gulf-sale/ - **Defence Security Asia** (Malaysia, en) — Source: https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/turkey-sells-russian-s400-gulf-state-f35-return-nato-us-russia-defense-reset/ - **1Lurer (Armenia)** (Armenia, en) — Source: https://www.1lurer.am/en/2026/07/10/T%C3%BCrkiye-sold-S-400-systems-to-one-of-Gulf-States-H%C3%BCrriyet/1543752 - **TASS** (Russia, en) — Source: https://tass.com/world/2158773 - **Bloomberg** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-10/turkey-seeks-russian-ok-for-s-400-exit-to-unlock-f-35-purchase - **Turkish Minute** (Turkey, en) — Source: https://www.turkishminute.com/2026/07/10/russia-in-talks-with-turkey-over-possible-sale-of-s-400-systems-kremlin/ - **The Hill** (United States, en) — Source: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5959425-trump-undecided-turkey-f35/ - **Defense News** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/07/07/us-will-lift-sanctions-on-turkey-possibly-sell-f-35-fighter-jets-trump-says/ - **India Herald** (India, en) — Source: https://www.indiaherald.com/Politics/Read/994897267/Trump-Turkey-F-35-What-It-Means-for-India-S-400-CAATSA - **Global Defense Corp** (International, en) — Source: https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2026/07/11/turkey-plans-to-sell-its-s-400-air-defence-system-to-qatar-or-the-uae-to-comply-with-u-s-demands/ ### US defence and foreign policy analysis; identifies the UAE as the most likely buyer given its existing multilayered air-defence architecture; frames the sale as fitting into Gulf state efforts to diversify beyond US systems - **Forbes** (United States, en) — Forbes analyst Paul Iddon named the United Arab Emirates as the most plausible buyer of Turkey's S-400s, citing the UAE's existing layered air-defence mix and its history of procuring from multiple suppliers. The piece noted that the UAE's own Russian Pantsir systems complicate any US-linked transfer restriction while making the S-400 an easier integration argument than for Qatar, which already relies on Patriot. > "The UAE could bolster its multilayered air-defense network by acquiring Turkey's unused S-400 systems, which have been in storage since delivery without ever being activated." Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauliddon/2026/07/10/which-arab-gulf-state-might-buy-turkeys-unused-russian-s-400-systems/ ### Russian state news agency; reports Hürriyet's account and notes UAE and Qatar as named candidates; counsels readers to wait for official confirmation before treating any name as confirmed - **TASS** (Russia, en) — TASS reported Turkey's sale of S-400 systems to a Gulf state based on Hürriyet's column by Abdulkadir Selvi, specifically noting that UAE and Qatar have been mentioned as possible buyers. The Russian state agency framed the story as unconfirmed and flagged the lack of official statement while acknowledging the reports of imminent announcement. > "According to the report, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have been mentioned, but it is better to wait for the official announcement before naming the country." Source: https://tass.com/world/2158491 ### Ukrainian state-adjacent media; frames the disposal as Turkey choosing Western alignment over Russian military hardware, a development Ukraine explicitly welcomes as it weakens the NATO-Russia entanglement - **United24 Media** (Ukraine, en) — United24 Media, the Ukrainian government-associated outlet, framed Turkey's S-400 disposal as Ankara choosing to rejoin America's 'defence club' over maintaining Russian hardware, a development Kyiv reads as a net win for Western cohesion. The piece emphasised that the sale would remove a persistent source of friction between Turkey and its NATO allies. > "Türkiye may sell its Russian S-400 air defense systems to a Gulf nation, potentially resolving US sanctions and restoring Ankara's access to the F-35 program." Source: https://united24media.com/world/turkiye-could-offload-its-russian-s-400s-to-the-gulf-in-bid-to-rejoin-americas-defense-club-20651 ### Kremlin spokesman Peskov confirming active Russian-Turkish consultations on S-400 fate; calling it "extremely sensitive" while affirming Moscow will continue talks - **TASS** (Russia, en) — TASS reported Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirming July 10 that Russia is in active consultations with Turkey over the S-400 systems. Peskov described the matter as 'extremely sensitive' and declined to confirm or deny the reported sale, while signalling Russia will continue bilateral contact on the transfer question. > "This is an extremely sensitive issue. We have had contacts with the Turkish side on this matter, and we will continue our contacts with the Turkish side on this issue." Source: https://tass.com/politics/2158643 ### US specialist defence outlet; first English-language report confirming Russia has acknowledged active negotiations with Turkey over the S-400 fate - **The War Zone** (United States, en) — The War Zone reported Russia has confirmed active talks with Turkey over the fate of the S-400 systems, framing the acknowledgement as a significant development that could clear the F-35 reinstatement path, while highlighting the Russian end-user clause as the key remaining legal obstacle. > "Russia confirms talks with Turkey over fate of S-400s amid F-35 push." Source: https://www.twz.com/air/russia-confirms-talks-with-turkey-over-fate-of-s-400s-amid-f-35-push ## Across the graph - Related: [[trump-turkey-f35-ankara-jul7]] - Entities: Person:recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey, S 400, NATO Alliance, United States --- Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/en/n/turkey-s400-gulf-resale-0710