Alexei Mukhin, head of the Moscow-based Center for Political Information, specifically pointed to the fact that Washington finally recognized that smuggled Daesh oil was sent to Turkish soil even though the White House was skeptical about Erdogan's involvement in the matter.
According to Mukhin, the very recognition by Washington of Daesh oil being supplied to Turkey sends a very strong signal to Erdogan.
"By unexpectedly supporting Russia, Washington is playing the game to weaken Erdogan and solving its own tasks. It is clear that Erdogan will have tougher times ahead to pretend that nothing is happening," Mukhin said.
He added that "weakening the Erdogan regime will help the West to more effectively manage Turkey in the current conflict [in Syria]."
#SYRIA #NewData #FOOTAGE of heavy oil trucks crossing Syrian-Turkish border with no restrictions near #Reyhanli pic.twitter.com/rdm3tVvo2Y
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 2 декабря 2015
He was echoed by Alexey Martynov of the International Institute of the Newest States, who suggested that both the US and the EU will certainly react to the Russian Defense Ministry's information and that Washington and Brussels are unlikely to cover Erdogan.
#SYRIA #NewData On November 13, near AZAZ there was concentration of vehicles carrying oil on #Turkey-#Syria highway pic.twitter.com/4YnAdhqFSl
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 2 декабря 2015
"The US and the EU will have to react because under all international norms, Erdogan and his family fall into the category of international criminals with all that it implies," Martynov said.
Mukhin, for his part, drew attention to the foot-dragging by EU leaders, who he said are yet to respond to the Russian Defense Ministry's disclosure on Daesh oil.
#SYRIA #NewData 3 main oil transport routes from #ISIS controlled Syrian&Iraqi territories into Turkey were detected pic.twitter.com/S1gcZkhkDy
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 2 декабря 2015
He said that in the long run, the EU is very unlikely to turn a blind eye to what Muknin described as "thought-provoking information."
"In the past few years, the EU has developed friendly ties with Turkey, but now the situation is all but certain to change," Mukhin pointed out.
#SYRIA #NewData Space reconnaissance data confirms that oil trucks are heading to #Dörtyol and İskenderun ports pic.twitter.com/8fG5ekmiNL
— Минобороны России (@mod_russia) 2 декабря 2015
Alexey Martynov, for his part, suggested that the EU's subsequent moves will greatly depend on Washington's position on the issuer.
"They know everything perfectly well. It's another matter that they are waiting for the final response from Washington, which will help them determine their own response, "the expert concluded.
According to Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov, Turkish President Erdogan and his family are involved in the illegal deliveries of oil from Daesh.
