Erdo?an: US would side with Turkey if Russia does wrong, including PYD

Despite an apparent divide between the two NATO allies on the role of Kurdish militias fighting jihadists in Syria, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an sounded confident that Washington would side with Ankara over any wrongdoing by Russia - including any possible controversy over Kurdish fighters in Turkey?s neighbor.

?I don?t believe that the U.S. and Russia could be entirely on the same line concerning an issue involving Turkey,? Erdo?an said, when reminded that both Russia and the U.S. stated they would support the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria in its fight against jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

?Above all, Turkey is an ally of the U.S. and a member of NATO. So can you imagine that these two states [the U.S. and Russia] would be on the same line in any wrongdoing against Turkey? It?s not possible,? he said late on Oct. 6, speaking to journalists en route from Brussels to Tokyo.

Both Erdo?an and Turkish officials have recently been insisting that the PYD?s role supporting the U.S.-led coalition against ISIL does not give the group legitimacy, after a U.S. official said Washington does not consider the People?s Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the PYD, a terrorist organization. Ankara continues to stress that the PYD is a terrorist organization because of its close links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers? Party (PKK), which has escalated attacks against Turkish security forces since July.

?Everybody should know that the PYD and the PKK have nested [together]. Russia says ?If Iraq invites us, we can also launch air strikes against Daesh there.? But Russia isn?t even hitting Daesh in Syria,? Erdo?an said, using an Arabic acronym for ISIL. 

He also argued that it was...