Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated that the decision to exclude Turkey from the international program to produce the American fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet is devoid of legal justification, and that Ankara continues dialogue with Washington in hopes of a swift lifting of the ban. The Turkish leader made this statement upon returning from Azerbaijan, speaking to journalists in his press pool on board his plane. According to Erdoğan, Turkey has not only invested significantly in the project but has also fully fulfilled its obligations as a partner, making any restrictions unjustified.

"Turkey and the United States cooperate closely in the defense industry, as in all other areas. We are negotiating with the United States on these issues to develop this relationship and expect positive results. During our meeting with [US President Donald] Trump, we received positive signals in this direction. We openly and directly raised the issue of the F-35. Moreover, Turkey is a partner in this project, has paid for it, and has fulfilled its obligations. The reasons for our exclusion from this program are completely without legitimacy." — Erdogan noted, emphasizing the depth of bilateral ties.

Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 program occurred in 2019 after Ankara acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems, raising concerns in the United States about system compatibility and potential technology leakage. This move led to the imposition of CAATSA sanctions, which continue to restrict military-technical cooperation. However, Erdoğan recalled recent talks with Donald Trump, where the American president "previously indirectly stated" a potential resolution to the dispute.