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We could look for new allies: Erdogan
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey’s partnership with the U.S. may be in jeopardy as ties strain, warning Ankara could start looking for new allies, in an op-ed published in the New York Times on Saturday. Relations between the two NATO allies have sunk to their lowest point in decades over a number of issues, including the detention of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson on terror-related charges, prompting the Turkish lira to hit record lows against the dollar.
The embattled lira tumbled 16% against the dollar on Friday, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying he had doubled steel and aluminium tariffs on Turkey in comments that contributed to the currency’s further slide. In the New York Times , Mr. Erdogan warned Washington not to risk relations with Ankara, saying his country would otherwise look for “new friends and allies”. “Unless the United States starts respecting Turkey’s sovereignty and proves that it understands the dangers that our nation faces, our partnership could be in jeopardy,” he wrote. “Before it is too late, Washington must give up the misguided notion that our relationship can be asymmetrical and come to terms with the fact that Turkey has alternatives,” he said. “Failure to reverse this trend of unilateralism and disrespect will require us to start looking for new friends and allies.” The White House said the new sanctions would take effect from August 13.
