We Have Disagreements with Turkey in Certain Areas, Says American General

The head of the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), American General Kenneth McKenzie, addressed Turkish-American relations in the context of recent developments in the Middle East at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).

The American general noted that the upcoming meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Joe Biden at the NATO summit would be a positive step for the future of relations between the two countries, according to Ermenihaber.

When asked whether Turkey's expanding military capabilities in the region, particularly operations in Syria and Libya, could have a destabilizing effect, McKenzie responded, “First of all, Turkey has been a valuable partner in NATO for a long time. Turkey has legitimate national security concerns regarding its borders with Syria and Iraq. What we are trying to do with Turkey is maximize the areas where we can find common ground. Even if we have disagreements, we can continue to be friends. Although there are certain areas where we do not agree with Turkey.”