Biden Era, Russia Rifts Jolt Turkey Back Toward Ties With West
- Erdogan had pivoted from traditional allies in favor of Moscow
- President said he also wants to improve relations with Saudis
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Turkey is seeking to mend relations with traditional western allies and regional powerhouse Saudi Arabia as rifts with Russia, Joe Biden’s U.S. election victory and the threat of European sanctions force a foreign-policy rethink, people familiar with the discussions said.
After he was sworn in with sweeping executive power more than two years ago, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a high-stakes pivot away from the pursuit of closer ties with the West. Turkey veered closer to Moscow, alienating and antagonizing fellow members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.