U.S. Looking for Ways Around Missile Feud to Aid Turkey in Syria

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. is exploring ways to help NATO ally Turkey in its fight against Russian-backed Syrian forces, even though it has serious concerns about Ankara's purchase of an advanced Russian missile system, the American envoy for Syria said Thursday.

“There is no unanimity in D.C. on what to do and how fast to do,” James Jeffrey told a conference in Istanbul on the conflict in Idlib, the last Syrian rebel stronghold, where Turkey is trying to halt an offensive by Russian-backed Syrian government troops.

Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile-defense system is “a serious concern for the U.S. Congress and for our defense establishment and Trump,” he added. “We're looking at ways to work around that.”

Turkey has asked Washington to deploy a pair of U.S.-operated Patriot missile-defense batteries on the Syrian border to deter Russian and Syrian airstrikes on Idlib. The Russian missiles could compromise NATO technology, however, and that request hasn't been met.

Jeffrey said the U.S. coordinated on a military and intelligence level with Ankara this week. On Tuesday, he expressed willingness to provide ammunition to Turkey, Turkish media cited him as saying.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Wednesday that he had requested ammunition from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Washington has threatened Turkey with sanctions over the purchase of the S-400 missiles, and has warned it against operating them if it wants to buy Patriot batteries and return to the joint production of the F-35 stealth warplane.

Putin, Erdogan Seek to Mend Ties at High-Stakes Syria Summit

Erdogan on Thursday arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to patch up a partnership fraying over the offensive in Idlib. Turkey has rejected a Russian proposal to remove its military outposts from Idlib and has massed more troops in the province, fearing a new exodus of refugees toward its border.

--With assistance from Selcan Hacaoglu.

To contact the reporter on this story: Onur Ant in Istanbul at oant@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Onur Ant at oant@bloomberg.net, Amy Teibel, Mark Williams

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