Media: France softens position on sale of SAMP/T air defense systems to Turkey

France is open to the possible sale of the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system to Turkey after many years of political confrontation.

More substantive talks with Ankara may take place at the NATO summit in Turkey, Reuters reports citing informed sources.

According to the article, the change in Paris's position followed negotiations between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on June 25. And on July 3, Meloni discussed this issue with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to sources, France was previously categorically against such a deal, but now there is "openness." In particular, Paris has lifted some political reservations that previously hindered the agreement, although doubts remained, Reuters reports.

The agency recalls that Turkey, France and Italy began cooperation on a possible long-range air defense program in 2017—2018, including research on joint development and joint production. But the project stalled amid deteriorating relations between Paris and Ankara due to Syria, Libya and disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean involving Greece and Cyprus.

According to Reuters, the SAMP/T system can track dozens of targets simultaneously, intercept multiple threats at once and is the only European-made system that is allegedly capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.

Although it is often called the "European analogue" of the American Patriot system, experts differ on the effectiveness of SAMP/T, noting that it has not been used in combat conditions for a long time.