The Turkish move towards Russian weaponry stemmed from the antagonism of the US, which employed the terrorist-linked Syrian Kurds as partners in the war to defeat ISIS. The YPG is linked with the PKK who has filled thousands in terrorist operations within Turkey over decades.
Russia and Turkey at odds
Although Turkey bought the Russian air defense system S-400, still Ankara and Moscow are at odds over Syria, Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, and Ukraine.
Russia and Turkey entered a joint agreement to guarantee the highway from the port of Latakia, Syria to the industrial city of Aleppo would remain open and free of terrorist attacks. Turkey never fulfilled their part of the deal, and the highway remains closed to traffic due to the Jibhat al-Nusra terrorists who occupy Idlib, and are supported by Turkey.
Erdogan and his neighbors
Turkey precipitated a crisis with fellow NATO allies Greece and France last summer. Turkey drew a maritime boundary with Libya that has no legal basis and essentially cut the Mediterranean in half. This Turkish maneuver threatened the Greek island, Crete and its potential undersea gas fields. France, which regards itself as a Mediterranean power, took exception to the Turkish move, as did the Greeks, and the threat of military action hung in the air.
Turkey started prospecting for gas, but in the waters of the Republic of Cyprus, which also alarmed Greece and NATO allies.
Erdogan has repeatedly held the threat of unloosing a wave of Syrian refugees into Europe over the heads of NATO allies. He has proven that he will pursue his own goals even if that means serious conflict with his neighbors and NATO allies.
President Putin and President Biden share a common problem: President Erdogan of Turkey, who is at times friend and foe in a bi-polar display of mixed messages. In the upcoming Biden-Putin summit on Wednesday, Erdogan is sure to be on the agenda.
Steven Sahiounie is an award-winning journalist
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