Turkey is seeking to return the Russian-made S-400 air defence systems it purchased nearly a decade ago, a move that could potentially clear the way for Ankara to acquire U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets.

President Tayyip Erdogan raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Turkmenistan last week, following earlier discussions between officials from the two countries, according to sources cited by Bloomberg.

The Presidency of Turkey and defence ministry declined to comment. The Kremlin denied that any such request was made during the meeting between the two leaders.

Erdogan’s initiative comes amid mounting pressure from Washington for Ankara to abandon advanced Russian military technology.

Turkey’s possession of the S-400 systems and its efforts to rejoin the F-35 programme were discussed during Erdogan’s meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in September.

Earlier this month, Tom Barrack, a close ally of the U.S. president and Washington’s ambassador to Turkey, said Ankara was close to giving up the S-400s, predicting the issue could be resolved within the next four to six months.

Abandoning the Russian military hardware could significantly improve relations with the United States, potentially leading to the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Turkey’s defence industry and restoring access to the F-35 programme, the sources said. A senior Turkish diplomat recently said he expects the sanctions to be lifted next year.

source Bloomberg