US blocks Turkey from F-35, Russia offers Su-35 fighter jets to Turkey

A Russian defense official says Moscow is ready to sell the Su-35 fighter jet to Turkey if Ankara is interested.

The comments come just days after Russia delivered the S-400 air-defense system to Turkey, which prompted the US to kick Ankara out of the F-35 program.

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MOSCOW (AP) — A top Russian official says Moscow is ready to sell fighter jets to Turkey after the United States excluded Turkey from its fighter jet program.

Sergei Chemezov, head of Russia's state-controlled Rostech corporation, said in a statement Thursday that Moscow would be willing to sell its Su-35 fighter jets to Turkey if Ankara “expresses interest.”

President Donald Trump's administration announced on Wednesday that Turkey was being kicked out of the F-35 program because it was buying the Russian S-400 air defense systems. The US said that Russian system would compromise the American fighter jet program.

Turkey began taking delivery of components of the S-400 last week in defiance of US objections.