US envoy says Türkiye is not a country to ‘be messed with’

ANTALYA

U.S. Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack said harsh rhetoric from Israel toward Türkiye would fade, stressing that Türkiye is not a country to “be messed with.”

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Barrack touched on a range of issues from Turkish-U.S. ties to developments in the region.

He said relations between Ankara and Washington had improved significantly in the past 16 months, adding that the two sides had made more progress in that period than in the previous 15 years.

Barrack said ties were advancing not only at the leadership level, but also in diplomacy, intelligence, military affairs and trade.

“Relations are better than ever,” he said. “I think a solution to the S-400 issue will be found soon. A return to the F-35 program is also possible.”

Barrack also referred to developments in Syria, saying Washington had taken a very different approach there.

“We did the exact opposite of what has been done for a hundred years,” he said. “Yesterday, we withdrew our last troops from our last base.”

He said Syria had become one of the most stable places in the region and added that Damascus did not want problems with Israel and was open to a non-aggression and normalization deal.

Barrack also said Türkiye had an important role in the regional transformation. He argued that just as Israel had built an alliance with Abu Dhabi, it could also build one with Türkiye.

Referring again to recent Israeli statements targeting Ankara, Barrack said such language would disappear.

“Türkiye is not a country to mess with,” he said.