Speaking to reporters after his parliamentary address, Erdogan ruled out meeting Pence, “I am standing tall. I will not meet them,” he said. “I will speak when Trump comes.”

 

Erdogan did quickly reverse his stance.

 

“He does plan to meet the US delegation led by @VP tomorrow [Thursday]” tweeted Erdogan’s head of communications, Fahrettin Altun.

 

However, Thursday’s meeting is being predicted to be difficult. 

 

“I don’t see what we can expect tangibly from the visit, just more of the same unfortunately,” said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served in Washington.

 

“Mr. Erdogan appears not to expect much from this visit,” he added. “But Moscow and Washington are lined up against this military operation, and extreme U.S. sanctions are on the way.”

 

Trump sanctions implemented Monday over the Turkish operation were brushed aside by Erdogan and the financial markets as symbolic. But the United States Congress is threatening to introduce far more severe measures if Turkey continues with its Syrian operation.