US Ambassador Tom Barrack: YPG is a branch of the PKK

US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria , Thomas Barrack, made striking assessments of Turkey's Syria policies at a press conference in New York. Barrack emphasized the need for deepening US-Turkey relations and expressed his approval of Turkey's position, particularly regarding the fight against terrorism.

At the meeting, Barrack denied allegations of a so-called Kurdistan entity being established in northern Syria. "There's no indication that a so-called Kurdistan will be established in Syria," Barrack said, emphasizing that the country would be reshaped with its own constitution and parliament.

Answering questions from a group of journalists, including Anadolu Agency, Barrack said that despite the US Congress's sympathy for the SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), the aim is to integrate this formation into the Syrian government.

Responding to a question from CNN Türk and Hürriyet's US Representative Yunus Paksoy about the disarmament of the SDF, Barrack said, "The SDF is the YPG. The YPG is a derivative of the PKK. The PKK began disarming today. This is a major development for Turkey ."

Barrack stated that the US had formed a temporary alliance with the YPG during the fight against ISIS. However, he made it clear that this partnership did not grant the YPG the right to establish an independent state. "We do not owe them the right to establish their own independent administration within a state," he said.

At the meeting, Barrack also highlighted Turkey's regional power, stating that Turkey plays a central role in developments in Ukraine, Russia, and the Middle East. He noted that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director İbrahim Kalın, and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan all played critical roles in these processes.

Barrack also spoke about the US's CAATSA sanctions against Türkiye, emphasizing that Türkiye has reduced its dependence on foreign sources by developing its own defense industry. Barrack said, "Because Turkey has a very smart society, it has begun producing its own drones and jets. Türkiye's drones are arguably the best drones in the world. TB2s are being used in the Ukraine war."