As the continued conflict in Syria threatens to add to an already strenuous refugee crisis, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has demanded more financial and logistical aid from the European Union as he plans to resettle at least a million Syrian migrants in a safe zone in northeastern Syria with support from the United States. Erdogan asserts that if he does not receive more support, he be forced to allow refugees in Turkey to migrate into Europe, further exacerbating stress on European countries struggling to cope with the millions of refugees already there. In 2016, Ankara agreed to stop the flow of migrants into Europe under the condition that Turkey receives billions in euros to support refugees moving into the country. Adding an additional layer of complexity to the issue, Washington and Ankara have been at odds over plans for the northeast of Syria, where the People’s Protection Units (YPG) still maintain control. The YPG is a Kurdish military force backed by the United States and considered a terrorist organization by Turkey.
