Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said “significant legal obstacles” remain to Turkey acquiring F-35 fighter jets because of its purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile system.
Speaking in Ankara after the conclusion of the NATO summit, Mitsotakis said that Greek pilots will begin training on its first F-35s in 2027. He added that the country’s F-16 Viper upgrade program is progressing rapidly, with more than 50 aircraft modernized so far and a target of 83.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would lift sanctions off Turkey and make a decision on a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara.
“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off,” Trump told reporters when asked about the measures imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
The F-35 issue has raised concerns in Greece over the military balance in the Eastern Mediterranean and its broader implications for NATO cohesion.
