Turkey squeezed as US-Russia tensions rise in Syria

Source:al Monitor Date:12Apr2018

Amberin Zaman highlights the topic on which investors will increasingly focus in the coming days: How will the shift in geo-political tensions from US-China to US-Russia axis affect Turkey’s tenuous hold on parts of Northern Syria where it plays Russia against US?

Hurriyet Daily reports from an anonymous American official in Turkey that Trump wants to solve the stand-off in Syria in Turkey’s favor, but the official admits there are many other issues on which White House and Ankara don’t see eye to eye.

Zaman’s following comments underlines the key question in determining Turkey’s risk premium: “Turkey’s deepening ties with Russia that include a controversial deal to purchase a multi-billion dollar missile defense system has set off alarm bells in Washington, where policy-makers are split over whether to woo Turkey back by dumping the YPG, among other things, or to punish it with sanctions”.