Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to get the most from Turkey’s theoretical Western allies while in reality allying with Russian President Vladimir Putin – like sort of a Muslim Fidel Castro.

In an article published last month, this author suggested:

“Once again, Western optimists are misreading Erdogan, that he is ‘rekindling fraught relations with the West.’ He just needs Western money, a few pats on the shoulder and legitimacy for his sultanship.”

The New York Times, in an editorial, woke up and agreed:

“Just two months ago, many in the West thought they had seen indications that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey was shifting away from what they saw as his overly chummy relationship with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

“Turkey allowed a group of celebrated Ukrainian fighters to return to the battlefield, prompting Russia to accuse it of violating an agreement. And Mr. Erdogan finally dropped his resistance to allowing Sweden to join NATO, strengthening the military alliance aimed at countering Russia.

“But any sense of a significant change in Mr. Erdogan’s balancing act between Russia and the West appeared to evaporate on Monday, when he and Mr. Putin stood side by side after a meeting in the Russian resort town of Sochi and spoke of expanding cooperation.”

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Back in July, the West wanted to maintain its comfortable sleep over bitter facts when Erdogan unexpectedly green-lit Sweden’s bid to join NATO. This move provoked a degree of celebration and praise that individual leaders rarely get at a summit. U.S. President Joe Biden applauded Erdogan’s “courage, leadership, and diplomacy.” “This is a historic day,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. Erdogan could not have been read more mistakenly.

Continue here: Gatestone Institute