Biden meets Erdoğan: what's the upshot?
After causing a lot of damage recently in relations with the West, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan tried his hand at bridge-building at the Nato summit. US President Joe Biden described his meeting with Erdoğan as positive and productive - after calling the Turkish leader an "autocrat" and just weeks after recognising the Armenian genocide. Commentators are sceptical.
Finally a turning point
For Daily Sabah, the meeting achieved what could be expected of it:
“Nobody was expecting the resolution of all problems between the two countries. The main expectation was to change the course of bilateral relations. In other words, the main objective of the meeting was to stop the escalation of tension and to set a positive agenda. It seems that this objective was achieved. Therefore, the meeting can be considered a turning point in Turkish-American relations.”
The "sultan's" image has not been boosted
This week's meetings will have no influence on how the Turkish president is perceived internationally, Yetkin Report comments:
“One of Erdoğan's expectations was to shed his image as an 'autocrat' and 'sultan', which has manifested itself ever more frequently in recent years, by showing signs of consensus with Europe and the US. But he can't be said to have pulled this off. ... It's true that the president conducted a number of important conversations during his trip to Brussels, also regarding the importance attached to Turkey. Nevertheless, it can't be said that Erdoğan got what he'd hoped for.”
Reconciliation over machismo
Writing on the Romanian service of Radio France Internationale, Journalist Ovidiu Nahoi questions whether Erdoğan's differences with the West are based mainly on regional interests:
“The question is whether there is not a deeper reason - the macho style of authoritarian leaders. They constantly want to be in conflict with the whole world, they always say they're being wronged, and they're always conjuring up the idea of threats from all sides. In this way they keep their countries in a constant state of fear, a feeling which they then use against everything they see as opposition - politicians, NGOs, the independent press. If President Erdoğan now wants to back up his words with action, he must exchange his macho style for a conciliatory one. Not an easy task for a leader of his kind.”