Erdoğan receives US defense chief at the Presidential Palace

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis in the Presidential Palace on Wednesday.

Erdoğan and Mattis are expected to discuss Washington’s support of the YPG in Syria. The U.S. has sent hundreds of trucks of weapons, ammunitions and heavy artillery to the PKK-affiliated YPG.

Other matters on the agenda are the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) referendum and developments in Syria.

The Pentagon released the following statement regarding the visit on Aug. 18: "Secretary Mattis will emphasize the steadfast commitment of the United States to Turkey as a NATO ally and strategic partner, seek to collaborate on efforts to advance regional stability, and look for ways to help Turkey address its legitimate security concerns - including the fight against the PKK."