F-35 jets

President Trump’s friendship with Turkish strongman Recep Erdogan is causing him to overlook serious dangers, potentially leading to a disastrous sale of F-35 jets to Ankara.

US President Donald Trump wants to sell F-35 jets to Türkiye, facing opposition from lawmakers and Israel. The sale is blocked due to concerns about Russian air defense systems and requires unlikely Congressional approval. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against the deal, linking Ankara to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated Greenland is not for sale at the NATO summit in Turkey, following U.S. President Donald Trump's interest in the territory. NATO leaders discussed military projects, and the U.S. announced lifting sanctions on Turkey to facilitate F-35 jet sales.

President Trump threatened to withdraw US troops from Europe and reiterated calls to annex Greenland during a NATO summit in Türkiye. NATO leaders announced arms deals and defense spending commitments to appease him, while the NATO chief praised Trump's policies. Trump criticized European allies and praised Türkiye's leader for passing an Iran policy 'test,' signaling potential sanctions relief on F-35 jet sales to Ankara.

The UK scrambled F-35 jets after a Russian military patrol aircraft repeatedly approached its flagship aircraft carrier in the Norwegian Sea. The incident occurred days before a NATO meeting focused on support for Ukraine.

Sources indicate that US President Trump is expected to support the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey. The issue remains unresolved due to Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system, with Trump reportedly considering an option where Turkey transfers the system to a third country.

Netanyahu opposes the US providing F-35 jets to Turkey, arguing it would disrupt the regional power balance maintained by Israeli air superiority and American influence. Tensions between Israel and Turkey have escalated, with Ankara severing trade ties with Israel in May 2024 and supporting a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Trump is expected to inform Turkey that he is prepared to restore access to F-35 jets. Turkey has been actively lobbying for readmission to the fighter jet program for years. A model of an F-35 was displayed in the Oval Office.

Britain intercepted two Russian Bear F aircraft near the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier in the Norwegian Sea, as part of an expanded NATO Arctic mission. The UK used F-35 jets to escort the Russian planes, which had deployed sonobuoys to track submarines. This action follows the UK taking command of NATO's rapid deployment special forces unit.

Germany's defense leaders are reconsidering options for next-generation fighter jets following the collapse of the French-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Defense Minister Boris Pistorius outlined three paths: purchasing additional F-35 jets from the U.S., joining an international sixth-generation fighter program like the Global Combat Air Programme, or launching a domestically led program with Airbus. The FCAS failure was attributed to unresolved disputes over intellectual property and military requirements between French and German companies.

Britain was advised to rearm but has not allocated the necessary funds a year later, leading to operational impacts. The UK has deployed additional defensive capabilities to Cyprus, including F-35 jets, radar systems, counter-drone systems, and ground-based air defence, along with 500 extra personnel.