Biden irked by Turkey’s Russia stance, labels it a ‘headache’ for Washington

US president Joe Biden has described Tukey as “a source of substantial irritation” for his administration, the New York Times has reported. Ankara’s stance on the Ukraine crisis is part of a wider range of issues, the paper cited a source as saying, referring to the comments made by Biden. US commander in chief's remarks come after Ankara became a guarantor in an UN-brokered deal on establishing a safe passage for the stranded Ukrainian grain, a move which Biden welcomed. 

Erdogan a 'headache'

The ties between US and Ankara have soured, as per the paper, that described Biden as labelling the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “headache” and “a source of substantial irritation” for Washington. US House Representative Chris Pappas (D-New Hampshire), on the other hand, claimed that “Turkey has played both sides of the fence in Ukraine. They have not been the reliable ally that we should be able to count on.”

“I think the Biden administration needs to take a stronger stance,” Pappas stressed. 

Washington's comments relate to Turkish president Erdogan's recent visit to Tehran to hold Astana dialogue with his Iranian and Russian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi and Vladimir Putin. The images of "two prime American rivals with Mr. Erdogan, the leader of a NATO country, clashed with the Western narrative of a deeply isolated Iran and Russia," the paper insisted. Erdogan “would deeply embarrass the alliance and the Biden administration as they work to counter Russia,” it continued, hurling the wanings as now heeded by the Biden administration. 

US President Joe Biden had earlier ironically thanked Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for lifting the objections to Finland and Sweden's NATO membership. "I want to particularly thank you for what you did, putting together the situation with regard to Finland and Sweden, and all the incredible work you're going to try to get the grain out of Ukraine," Biden told Erdoğan during the NATO summit in Madrid. "You're doing a great job," Biden added.

A senior US administration official had claimed earlier that even when Ankara lifted the objection paving way for Sweden and Finland's NATO membership, Washington did not offer any concessions to Turkey to coax it to accept the deal. Biden administration did not do much to make Turkey drop its opposition to Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity with Associated Press said. Turkey never asked the US for anything, he went on to add, but as part of the talks, the US played a crucial role in helping bring the two parties closer together.