Andy Taylor worked in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2010 to 2019, covering Turkish issues on the Foreign Affairs Committee staff.
Articles & Testimony
The truth is that Ankara feels threatened by Moscow, but security concerns, mistrust of the West, and an inability to secure American missiles left Erdogan searching for an alternative.
The 70-year-old alliance between the United States and Turkey is heading for its most turbulent period in decades. Congress voted this past week on legislation to punish Ankara for its planned acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 missile system and what lawmakers perceive as Turkish coziness towards Russia. Washington is preparing to curtail defense cooperation with Ankara and sanction Turkey. However, these actions will inadvertently deepen Ankara’s ties with Moscow...