Turkey Threatens Additional Steps After Biden’s Recognition of Armenian Genocide

Livid Turkish reactions to United States President Joe Biden’s official recognition of the 1915-1917 Armenian genocide were still pouring in on Monday, after Sunday saw Ankara summon the American ambassador to condemn the explosive announcement. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman called the statement “outrageous” and threatened reactions “of different forms and kinds and degrees in coming days and months,” while Erdogan himself was expected to address Biden’s unprecedented move for the first time later on Monday. The two leaders spoke on Friday for the first time since Biden took office, with the Turkish president warning his US counterpart his Saturday address would be a “colossal mistake.” Among the retaliatory steps Ankara is thought to have up its sleeve are restricting US access to its airbases in southern Turkey, limiting cooperation on the Iraqi and Syrian fronts and taking a step back from its diplomatic efforts vis-à-vis the Afghani crisis.