Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be reaching out to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, despite previously labelling him a terrorist. This comes as Erdogan is facing increasing pressure to find a solution to the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis in his country. Turkey is currently hosting more than 4 million Syrian refugees, which has led to significant social and economic strain.
Erdogan has been a vocal opponent of al-Assad since the start of the Syrian civil war. However, the failure to secure a full return of refugees, in addition to the geopolitical realities such as potential new alliances in the region, is leading Erdogan to possibly pivot his stance and seek a direct dialogue with al-Assad.
However, it’s important to note that any official confirmation of such a rendezvous from either side has yet to be given. Therefore, at this point, it’s hard to ascertain the precise nature of the relationship between Turkey and Syria.
Erdogan courts ‘terrorist’ Assad amid pressure to solve Turkey’s ‘Syrian problem’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to be reaching out to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, despite previously labelling him a terrorist. This comes as Erdogan is facing increasing pressure to find a solution to the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis in his country. Turkey is currently hosting more than 4 million Syrian refugees, which has led to significant social and economic strain.
Erdogan has been a vocal opponent of al-Assad since the start of the Syrian civil war. However, the failure to secure a full return of refugees, in addition to the geopolitical realities such as potential new alliances in the region, is leading Erdogan to possibly pivot his stance and seek a direct dialogue with al-Assad.
However, it’s important to note that any official confirmation of such a rendezvous from either side has yet to be given. Therefore, at this point, it’s hard to ascertain the precise nature of the relationship between Turkey and Syria.
