Updated

Updated · Kyiv Post · Jul 12

NATO Declares Ukraine a Security Contributor as Kyiv’s Drone and Missile Edge Reshapes Western Defense

Updated

Updated · Kyiv Post · Jul 12

NATO Declares Ukraine a Security Contributor as Kyiv’s Drone and Missile Edge Reshapes Western Defense

Q: How can Turkey rejoin the F-35 program while still possessing the Russian S-400 system?

Turkey cannot legally rejoin the F-35 program while it still possesses the Russian S-400 system. The core obstacle is U.S. law, not just politics. Section 1245 of the FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act bars F-35 transfers to Turkey unless the U.S. administration certifies to Congress that Turkey no longer possesses the S-400, has removed related equipment and personnel, and has given credible assurances it will not acquire similar Russian systems again. CAATSA sanctions can be lifted by the administration, but that alone does not reopen the F-35 program. The reason is the security risk. U.S. officials and lawmakers argue that operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 could expose sensitive data about the jet’s stealth and mission systems to Russia. For that reason, proposals such as keeping the S-400 “boxed up” in Turkey have generally been treated in Washington as insufficient. If Ankara wants a path back, it would need a verifiable disposal or transfer arrangement that ends Turkish possession and operability of the S-400. One option discussed in policy circles is sending the system to a third country or otherwise removing it from Turkish control, followed by formal U.S. certification to Congress. Even then, reentry would not be automatic. Congress would remain influential, and broader concerns about Turkey’s regional policies and alliance behavior could still complicate any return. But as long as Turkey keeps the S-400, the legal answer is straightforward: no F-35s.

3 articles · Updated · Kyiv Post · Jul 12

NATO’s Ankara summit declaration said Ukraine “contributes to transatlantic security,” marking a shift from treating Kyiv mainly as a recipient of Western protection and aid.
Ukraine earned that recognition by building large, battle-tested drone and missile capabilities and a fast-moving arms production ecosystem that now outpaces many Western inventories in speed, scale and adaptability.
Those systems have gained strategic weight on and off the battlefield, helping Ukraine strike Russian energy and logistics targets while highlighting low-cost air-defense tools Western militaries need after recent drone-heavy conflicts.
Numerous deals between Ukrainian and Western defense companies are already tying Kyiv into NATO’s military architecture, even as full alliance membership remains blocked by internal opposition.
The declaration builds on Ankara pledges of €70 billion in support, but the broader change is that Ukraine is increasingly seen as a two-way security partner rather than a one-way burden.