US Ambassador Barrack Jokes About Mykonos While Pitching Turkey’s F-35 Return

“I deliberation you’re going to spot the S-400 concern solved soon,” the US Ambassador to Turkey said. Credit: Greek Reporter

US Ambassador Tom Barrack has signaled a imaginable breakthrough successful the long-standing defence impasse betwixt Washington and Ankara, expressing assurance that Turkey could soon rejoin the F-35 combatant pitchy program.

Speaking astatine the yearly Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Ambassador Barrack stated that the superior obstacle—Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 aerial defence system—is nearing a resolution. “I deliberation you’re going to spot the S-400 concern solved soon,” Barrack noted, adding that from the position of the existent administration, “acceptance into the F-35 programme is fine.”

In a notable comparison, the Ambassador pointed retired that “Greece operates both S-300s and F-35s,” suggesting that NATO interoperability issues tin beryllium managed. Turkey is reportedly weighing options to decommission oregon relocate the Russian systems to mend ties with the US and reclaim its presumption arsenic a spouse successful the fifth-generation combatant program, from which it was expelled successful 2019.

Tom Barrack, the Greece-Turkey dispute, and Mykonos

When asked astir the delicate equilibrium of Greek-Turkish relations, Barrack offered a lighter touch: “The Greece-Turkey issue… that’s different historical matter. I won’t adjacent effort to navigate that territory, due to the fact that they’ll forbid maine from ever visiting Mykonos again.”

Analysts constituent retired that by joking astir Mykonos, he’s signaling that helium wants to stay a “friend of Greece” (and support his societal entree there) portion simultaneously doing his job, which presently involves bringing Turkey backmost into the US defence fold.

Tom Barrack, US Ambassador to Turkey:

"I deliberation you're going to spot the S-400 solution solved soon. From my boss's constituent of view, acceptance into an F-35 programme is fine. Greece has S-300s and F-35s. So the Greece-Turkey contented is different historical contented I won't adjacent effort to get… pic.twitter.com/i31cgKyFTE

— Mintel World (@mintelworld) April 17, 2026

Turkey was a founding spouse successful the F-35 program, contributing parts and funding. However, erstwhile Ankara purchased the Russian S-400 system, Washington argued that the Russian radar could “learn” the F-35’s stealth secrets if they operated successful the aforesaid vicinity. This led to Turkey’s removal from the programme and the transportation of 100 jets being frozen.

Trump medication examines options for readmitting Turkey to the F-35 program

Under the “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act” (CAATSA), the US is legally bound to authorisation nations that marque important defence deals with Russia. Rejoining the F-35 programme requires a ceremonial certification to Congress that Turkey nary longer “possesses” the Russian system.

Turkey has often pointed to Greece arsenic a counterargument. Greece (a NATO member) owns the Russian-made S-300 system, yet was precocious cleared to acquisition F-35s. The US favoritism has historically been that the S-300 is older exertion and was ne'er integrated into the halfway NATO web successful a mode that threatened F-35 security.

The US appears much consenting to find a “face-saving” exit for Ankara—potentially involving the S-400s being stored nether planetary supervision oregon moved to a 3rd country—in speech for a strengthened NATO confederate flank.

Related: The F-35 Dilemma: Can Trump Re-admit Turkey?