When the diplomatic heads of the United States and Turkey meet in Washington this Wednesday, it will be more about the agenda items on which the two allies disagree than the opposite, so expectations are low.
Antony Blinken welcomes his counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu at a time when points of friction between Ankara and Washington have increased. For example, in Syria, where the US and other Western countries have supported the Kurdish YPG militias in the fight against the Islamic State, but which the Turkish government considers an offshoot of the Kurdish party PKK on its terrorist organization lists. President Erdogan has been warned by the United States that a Turkish invasion of northern Syria to fight the YPG could destabilize the region and revive the Islamic State.
In addition, Ankara expressed interest in normalizing relations with Damascus after ten years of turning its back. Here too, Washington was critical: “Anyone involved with the regime should ask themselves how that involvement benefits the Syrian people,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price.
Recep Erdogan’s relations with Vladimir Putin are also viewed with concern. Despite Turkey condemning the Russian invasion, defending Ukrainian territorial integrity and reaching an agreement with the UN on the transportation of grain in the Black Sea, not only does it not impose economic sanctions on Russia, but it also has new investment projects with Moscow .
Erdogan has also angered allies by making demands on Sweden that Stockholm cannot meet (by requiring the Swedish government to extradite citizens, when that power lies with the judicial authorities) to ratify Sweden’s and Finns’ accession to NATO .
Still, after the purchase of the F35 aircraft was denied after the purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system, the Turks are confident that they can buy 40 F16s and modernize 80, even if the US Congress is not in favor . To sidestep the issue, the State Department said the Biden administration will seek approval from congressmen for the sale of F35 jets to Greece, a rival country and Turkey’s ally in NATO.
Source: DN
