Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on 5 July that he expects the United States to begin delivering F-35 stealth fighters to Turkey in stages during President Donald Trump’s current term, adding that he believes Washington will “honor the agreement” struck between the two leaders. Erdoğan made the comments to reporters on his flight back from a summit in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that the F-35 issue “is not merely about military technology” but about preserving strong partnerships within NATO. Ankara was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after it purchased Russian S-400 air-defence systems, a move the U.S. said compromised the aircraft’s security. Erdoğan’s statement signals Ankara’s expectation of being readmitted to the project. The president also sought to allay regional concerns—particularly from Greece—by saying Turkey’s pursuit of the jets is aimed at safeguarding national security and does not threaten its allies. Neither the Turkish nor the U.S. government immediately commented on any formal steps toward reinstating Turkey in the multibillion-dollar program.