France has softened its long-standing opposition to a potential sale of the SAMP/T air defense system to Türkiye, signaling a possible breakthrough after years of political resistance.

Paris shifted its position following talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a bilateral summit on June 25. However, the discussions remain at an early stage, and no final decision has been made, The Caspian Post reports via Reuters.

Türkiye, France, and Italy first launched cooperation on a long-range air defense program in 2017-2018, exploring the joint development and production of the SAMP/T system. The initiative later stalled amid tensions between Ankara and Paris over Syria, Libya, and disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean involving Greece and Cyprus.

Also known as Mamba, the SAMP/T is the only European-made air defense system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Ankara hopes to integrate the system into its planned "Steel Dome" nationwide air and missile defense network.

For years, Turkish officials viewed France as the main political obstacle to the project, while Italy consistently supported closer defense cooperation with Türkiye. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reportedly urged Macron to reconsider France's position during last year's NATO Summit in The Hague.

France's new openness should not be interpreted as approval of a future deal. Paris is expected to consult with Greece and Cyprus-both strategic defense partners of France-before making any decision on exporting the system to Türkiye.