Erdogan Expects NATO Support In Fight Against Kurds After Backing Baltics Defense Plan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday he expected NATO allies to lend him their support after he backed the alliance's defense plan for Poland and the Baltic states

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th December, 2019) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday he expected NATO allies to lend him their support after he backed the alliance's defense plan for Poland and the Baltic states.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that Turkey had supported the new plan after threatening to oppose it if the bloc refused to designate Syrian Kurdish militia as terrorists.

"After meeting the [NATO] friends we said 'yes,' but we expect the alliance to reciprocate our move by supporting our fight against terrorists. Unfortunately, NATO countries have only paid lip service to us," Erdogan told reporters.

The revamped NATO plan to protect Poland and the Baltics has been promoted by Polish President Andrzej Duda, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron at this week's NATO summit in London in the United Kingdom.