Our alliance with US to continue without faltering: Turkish Defense Minister

Turkish Defense Minister reiterated his country's alliance with the United States, as he also urged NATO to stand unified against threats. "A uniform action should be taken against the common enemy," he said.

Duvar English

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said that the alliance between Turkey and the U.S. will continue without faltering, amid days-long war of words between Ankara and Washington.

Speaking during TRT World Forum on Oct. 21, Akar praised Turkey's military offensive in northeastern Syria called Operation Peace Spring and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "vision."

"We hope that with the offensive and President Erdoğan's vision, we'll be bringing peace to our region. Our alliance with the U.S. will continue without faltering," Akar said, while also calling on NATO to act uniformly against threats.

"A uniform action should be taken against the common enemy. That vision also needs to include a collective benefit. A fight for common interests should be carried out instead of the interest of all the member countries separately," he added.

During his speech, Akar also criticized Ankara's allies for providing extensive financial support to the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is the group Turkey wants to remove from its border as part of Operation Peace Spring.

“All of the weapons given to the YPG are being used against us,” Akar said, adding that Turkey’s only aim in launching the incursion is to protect its borders and “fight against terrorism."