'Shame on you': Erdogan says he won't meet with US envoy to Turkey; read to know why

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has barred US Ambassador to Turkey, Jeffry Flake, from entering his residence after the diplomat met with opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu. This move by Erdogan is seen as a snub towards the United States, which has been a longstanding ally of Turkey.

"[US President] Joe Biden's ambassador visits Kemal. Shame on you, think with your head. You are an ambassador. Your interlocutor here is the president. How will you stand up after that and ask for a rendezvous with the president? Our doors are closed for him, he can no longer come in. Why? He needs to know his place," Erdogan said on Sunday, as per a report from Turkish Star newspaper, which was cited in a Sputnik report. 

Turkish elections are slated for May 14

The upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey are scheduled to take place on May 14, with Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition candidate nominated by a coalition of six parties, being seen as the main contender against incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Other candidates in the running include Muharrem Ince of the Homeland Party and Sinan Ogan, who has the support of the ATA Alliance.

A recent survey conducted by the MetroPOLL research center polled 2,046 individuals across 28 provinces in Turkey between January 13 and March 14, revealing that Kilicdaroglu holds a slight lead over Erdogan in terms of public support, with 44.6 percent of respondents indicating they would vote for the opposition candidate, while Erdogan trails behind with 42 percent of the votes. This indicates a potentially tight race for the presidency.

A look at US-Turkey relations

Historically, the United States and Turkey have had a close relationship, dating back to the post-World War II period when Turkey played a key role as a bulwark against Soviet expansionism in the region. The two countries signed a mutual defense agreement in 1951, which was followed by the establishment of the US-Turkey Joint Economic Committee and the Turkey-US Business Council in the 1980s.

During the Cold War, Turkey hosted US military bases, including the strategically important Incirlik Air Base, which has been used for operations in Iraq and Syria in recent years. In addition, Turkey has been a key transit point for US military supplies and personnel heading to Afghanistan.

However, in recent years, the relationship between the US and Turkey has been strained by a number of factors. One of the key issues is the ongoing conflict in Syria, where Turkey has been a vocal opponent of the Assad regime and has supported opposition groups fighting against the Syrian government. The US, on the other hand, has backed Kurdish forces in Syria, which Turkey views as a threat to its national security due to their links to the Kurdish separatist group, the PKK.

The US-Turkey relationship has also been impacted by Turkey's domestic politics. Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has become increasingly authoritarian, with a crackdown on opposition voices and independent media. This has led to tensions with the US, which has been critical of Turkey's human rights record and has expressed concerns about the erosion of democratic institutions in the country.

In addition, Turkey's decision to purchase the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system has further strained the US-Turkey relationship. The US has argued that the system is incompatible with NATO defenses and has threatened sanctions against Turkey for the purchase.