Turkey rows against strong currents in northern Syria
The latest statements out of Washington and Moscow have again highlighted the difficulties Ankara faces in trying to achieve its aims in Syria.
Despite its initial pleasure upon hearing of the US withdrawal from Syria, Turkey seems to be facing difficulties in achieving its goals in its southern neighbor. Recent back-and-forth statements between the United States and Ankara have pointed to a couple of disagreements over the Syria dossier.
Turkey is engaging in a flurry of high-level contacts with the United States and Russia to negotiate the future of northern Syria and east of the Euphrates River following Donald Trump’s decision to pull US forces out of Syria.
Ankara wants to establish a strong military presence in the region to fight the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is lodged there with US backing.
Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG to be a terrorist organization and has vowed to eliminate it, even if Washington refuses to sever ties with the group.
