Lavrov says Turkey has not asked Russia to transfer its S-400 systems

Russia has received no request from Turkey to move its S-400 air-defense systems to another country, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after his September 26 press conference in New York. He said the contract’s end-user terms require Moscow’s official consent before any such transfer.

Lavrov’s answer puts a specific limit on the proposals that have circulated around Ankara’s Russian-made systems. Turkey may discuss possible arrangements with prospective partners, but the Russian minister said the equipment cannot leave Turkish territory without Russia’s approval. He did not announce a transfer agreement or identify a destination.

The question arose after reports this summer that Turkey was considering ways to dispose of the S-400s while seeking to resolve its long-running dispute with the United States over the F-35 fighter program. The United Arab Emirates has been mentioned as a possible recipient in that reporting, but neither a completed deal nor Russian approval has been announced.

What Lavrov said in New York

At a press conference following his participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov said the systems were delivered under a contract that includes an end-user certificate. According to his account, Ankara understands that any move beyond its borders requires Moscow’s formal permission. Asked whether Turkey had sought that permission, he said it had not.

The absence of a request is the new point in Lavrov’s statement. It does not establish that Turkey has abandoned discussions about the S-400s, nor does it show that Russia would reject a future proposal. The minister described the contractual requirement and the position as of September 26.

In July, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was asked whether the systems might be transferred to the United Arab Emirates. He did not confirm an agreement, referring instead to discussions about a possible solution and the need to speak with Russia. The two sets of comments are therefore consistent on the need for Russian involvement, while Lavrov’s latest account says no formal transfer request has reached Moscow.

Why the issue matters for Turkey’s F-35 ambitions

Turkey’s purchase and delivery of the S-400 system triggered a serious dispute within NATO. Washington removed Ankara from the F-35 program in 2019, citing security concerns about a Russian air-defense system operating alongside the U.S. stealth fighter. The United States subsequently imposed sanctions under its Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

Turkish officials have continued to seek a path back toward F-35 access and relief from the restrictions. American legal and policy obstacles remain tied to the fate of the S-400s, so a proposed transfer has attracted attention beyond the bilateral relationship with Moscow. Reports of talks with a Gulf country, however, are not evidence that an export has been authorized.