Turkey seeks US support to maintain troops in Afghanistan

BRUSSELS (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country would need “diplomatic, logistic and financial assistance” from the United States to maintain troops in Afghanistan and guard Kabul’s airport, following the withdrawal of NATO troops. Speaking at the end of a NATO summit on Monday, Erdogan also said Turkey was seeking Pakistan and Hungary’s involvement in a new mission in Afghanistan following the departure of U.S.-led NATO force. Erdogan held a series of one-on-one meetings with NATO leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, in a bid to smoothen relations with Turkey’s Western allies.