The Times of London speaks extensively about President Erdogan's charm attack on the new American leadership, which is currently being treated with coldness.
The British newspaper comments that despite the various attempts of the Turkish President to approach the Biden government, there is little indication that he will be able to win the bilateral relationship that he publicly states that he hopes to form.
The new US president has not yet contacted his Turkish counterpart, and on Friday the Pentagon spokesman in Washington warned that sanctions on Turkey over the purchase of Russian S-400s would not be lifted until the country “Get rid” of the anti-aircraft system.
At the same time, it is noted that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken included Turkey along with Russia, China, Iran and North Korea among the countries that “require immediate attention.”
According to the Times, President Erdogan belongs to the club of leaders who were tempted by President Trump but now face a very different American President, along with Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
As a sign of the difficult relationship between the two countries, the daily says that the US may impose further sanctions on Turkey if it does sign an unexpected treaty with China that allows the extradition of self-exiled Uighurs to Beijing and that its trial is likely to proceed in the United States. Turkish Halkbank for its role in violating sanctions against Iran, a trial that was delayed by Trump at the request of Ankara.
The report also notes that in order to cope with the difficulties and the decline of his popularity inside Turkey, Erdogan has rekindled the conflicts with Greece, Cyprus and Armenia, with moves that oppose the new US administration.
The economic crisis in Turkey has led President Erdogan in an attempt to build bridges, e.g. with the resumption of exploratory talks with Greece and with the invitation to Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel to visit Ankara, adds the Times' response from Istanbul.
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