EU Considers Buying Russian S-400 Systems from Turkey to Send to Ukraine, in Bid to Mend Ankara’s Ties with Washington
In a geopolitical maneuver that blends realpolitik, military pragmatism, and alliance diplomacy, the European Union is reportedly exploring a highly unconventional proposal: purchasing Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Turkey and transferring them to Ukraine. According to a diplomatic source familiar with the discussions, the plan is being weighed as a way to simultaneously bolster Kyiv’s air defenses, ease Turkey’s diplomatic isolation from the United States, and unlock a long-frozen chapter in NATO interoperability.
The idea, though still in early conceptual stages, has surfaced amid growing frustration in Ankara over its exclusion from the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program, a consequence of its 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 systems. “Not long behind the scenes, there has been an idea to elegantly help Turkey resolve its conflict with the United States,” describing the proposal as a win-win that would allow Turkey to divest from a politically toxic asset without appearing to capitulate to American pressure.
Under the emerging concept, the EU would use existing funds already allocated for military aid to Ukraine to acquire the S-400 batteries from Ankara. “They will still have to buy something,” the source noted, suggesting that redirecting procurement budgets toward this transaction would require minimal bureaucratic overhaul. More importantly, it would allow the EU to position itself not as a mere accountant of defense spending, but as a strategic problem-solver “a philanthropist in this situation,” as the source put it.
For Turkey, the deal could be transformative. Since its $2.5 billion purchase of the S-400 from Russia in 2017, a deal finalized with deliveries in 2019, Ankara has faced severe U.S. backlash. Washington expelled Turkey from the F-35 program, imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), and canceled a bilateral memorandum on fighter jet cooperation. Despite repeated pleas from Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the U.S. has held firm: no F-35s without full abandonment of the Russian system.
Recent signals, however, suggest a possible thaw. In September, U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that Ankara could regain access to the F-35 if Erdoğan “does something” for Washington. More recently, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Presidential Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barak, explicitly urged Turkey to “abandon the S-400” to unlock the fighter jet deal.
Turkey has consistently maintained that its S-400s remain operational and fully integrated into its national defense architecture. The Turkish Defense Ministry has repeatedly denied rumors of plans to return or sell the systems, insisting there are “no changes in the situation.” Yet internal discussions appear more fluid. Earlier this year, Turkish columnist Murat Gyurgen suggested Ankara might either return the systems to Russia or sell them to a third party—options once deemed unthinkable.
The EU’s proposed intervention offers a third path: a discreet, financially compensated exit that preserves Turkish dignity while satisfying U.S. security concerns. By purchasing the systems itself, and sending them to Ukraine, where advanced air defense is desperately needed—the EU avoids the appearance of rewarding Russian arms sales while addressing Kyiv’s urgent battlefield requirements.
Critics, however, raise serious concerns. The S-400 is a Russian-made system whose software and hardware may contain vulnerabilities or backdoors exploitable by Moscow. Integrating it into Ukraine’s Western-supplied defense network could pose intelligence and interoperability risks. Moreover, transferring a Russian-origin system, even indirectly, might complicate coalition cohesion and provoke further Russian retaliation.
Yet proponents argue that Ukraine is already operating a patchwork of Soviet-era and modern Western systems, and that the immediate need for high-altitude air defense against cruise missiles and drones outweighs theoretical risks. If properly isolated and operated under strict protocols, the S-400 could provide critical coverage over key infrastructure and population centers.
Beyond the battlefield, the proposal reflects a deeper recalibration within the transatlantic alliance. As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, traditional lines between NATO members, neutral states, and non-aligned powers are blurring. Turkey’s strategic ambidexterity, balancing ties with Moscow, Washington, and Brussels, has long frustrated allies, but also offers unique leverage. The EU’s willingness to step in as a financial and diplomatic intermediary signals a more assertive, solution-oriented European defense posture, even as it navigates the minefield of great-power competition.
Should this plan advance, it would mark one of the most unusual arms transfers in modern history—not just for its technical complexity, but for its layered diplomacy. For Ukraine, it could mean a powerful new shield. For Turkey, a path back to the F-35. For the EU, a chance to prove it can do more than write checks. And for Washington, a quiet resolution to a thorny problem that has strained NATO unity for half a decade.
The world will be watching—not just to see if missiles move, but whether old alliances can adapt to a new era where pragmatism may trump principle, and even Russian weapons might find a Western purpose.
