US and Turkey fail to resolve conflicts over missile purchase

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump met with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House to discuss Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system.

Discussions between Turkey and the United States were dominated by Syria and Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system and relations between the NATO allies are at historic lows.

Donald Trump’s warm welcome of the Turkish president came amid anger in the United States Congress about Ankara’s offensive into Syria to drive out Kurdish forces.

Also read: US, Turkey presidents to meet over Syria’s safe zone

But both leaders fell short of describing in detailed terms that how they would overcome the mounting differences they have on numerous issues, from Erdogan’s incursion in Syria against the US’s Kurdish allies to Turkey’s missile purchase.

Trump  in a joint news conference said, “Turkey’s purchase of sophisticated Russian military equipment, such as the S-400, creates some very serious challenges for us and we are talking about it constantly.”

Also read: Turkey and Russia launch joint patrols in Syria

He added, “We talked about it today, we are talking about it in the future, hopefully, we will be able to resolve that situation.”

In this regard, Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expressed his frustration that other nations have not done more to support Turkey with refugees.

Also read: US warns Turkey for heading in ‘wrong direction’ over Syria

Erdogan said, “When nobody was accepting these refugees, we did.” 

Erdogan also said he was deeply hurt by the House resolution recognizing the killings of 1.5 million Armenians a century ago as a genocide.

Months earlier, the US was angered over Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, last month America passed a sanctions package to punish Turkey over the purchase of the Russian defence system and Ankara’s Syria operation. 

Also read: Turkey defiant on Syria operation as US demands ceasefire

In response, Turkey shrugged off threats of US sanctions and began receiving its first S-400 deliveries in July, but so far, the US has not imposed any sanctions.

Erdogan said that his country had no problem with the Kurds, only terrorist organizations. Turkey considers the YPG to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has fought a nearly four-decade war against the Turkish state.

Also read: US slaps sanctions on Turkey as Syrian regime returns to north

According to Erdogan, Turkey had spent $40 billion hosting Syrian refugees and expected international donors to assist in relocating Syrians back to their country.