Turkey patches up US and German relationships

Significance

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s agreement in Ankara to work together has reduced the possibility of a clash between Turkish and US forces in Syria. Almost simultaneously, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced in Berlin a new era in Turkish-German relations, a change confirmed by the release of a German newspaper correspondent in Turkey, after a year in prison on spying charges.

Impacts

• The Trump administration will now speed up appointing a new ambassador to Ankara.
• Turkey will continue to woo German business and investors.
• The application of diplomatic pressure to release detained foreign journalists may influence how they operate in Turkey in future.
• Improved relations abroad will enable Erdogan to tighten his grip at home.