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The Guardian: Erdoan outgunned at Trump meeting in face of US-Russian united front

A

AcademicSaucer

Member
Turkish officials had billed Tuesday’s meeting as a pivotal moment for the two countries’ troubled relationship, and Trump, sticking to his script, made the expected noises in public. He commended Erdoğan as an important ally in fighting terrorism and singled out the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK), which both powers regard as a terrorist faction, as a particular threat.

But Erdoğan’s insistence that the US end its support for and supply of weapons to the YPG, the Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey says is in league with the separatist PKK, was firmly rebuffed. Turkey’s repeated threats to close its Incirlik airbase to US aircraft and launch more raids across the Syrian border cut no ice, as the Pentagon sees the Syrian Kurds as an effective and dependable ally against Islamic State.

Erdoğan’s demand that the US extradite Fethullah Gülen, the US-based cleric whom Erdoğan blames for the coup, also fell on deaf ears. The best he could get on Gülen was a promise to examine “possible steps”.

Speaking in Beijing, the Russian president’s position appeared identical to Trump’s. His message to Turkey was the same: don’t mess with us in Syria. “As the Kurdish factor is a real factor in the situation in Syria and Kurdish armed formations are taking part in combat operations against Isis and are among the most combat efficient units, we consider it right to maintain working contacts with them,” Putin declared.

This coordination on the YPG is no coincidence. It was almost certainly discussed during last week’s White House visit by Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, which Trump described at the time as “very, very good”. The meeting has since become controversial after claims Trump revealed secret intelligence.

Although they have yet to meet, the (tacit) Trump-Putin deal is simple: respect each other’s core interests and don’t sweat the details, like human rights and arms sales.

To the dismay of some European allies, whom he will meet in Brussels next week, Trump has done much to reassure Russia over Nato, and the US and Russia are more or less on the same page on North Korea.
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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...mp-meeting-in-face-of-us-russian-united-front
 
W

whytemyke

Honorary Canadian.
At least he stayed on script.

Half of me expected him to pivot into why the Syria conflict is really just an example of how the mainstream media hates him even though he's never been given a chance and blah blah blah.
 
C

Chairman Yang

if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
I'm happy and frankly amazed that America hasn't yet sold out the YPG to appease Turkey. I hope it lasts.
 
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