“The election of Democratic nominee Joe Biden as the new US president and the end of Trump’s presidency have sparked optimism among Kurds in Iraq and Syria that the United States will change its position on the Kurds. This can be seen in sending immediate congratulatory messages by the Kurdish officials of Iraq and Syria to Joe Biden,” the professor further told KurdPress.

Dr. David Romano, a professor at the University of Missouri, is a researcher on US foreign policy, as well as the Kurdish issues in the Middle East. KurdPress interviewed him about Biden's stance on Kurdish issues, as well as the Turkish government, which Biden had advised it to treat the Kurds fairly.

"I think Joe Biden has a very positive view of the Kurds in Iraq and Syria," said Dr. David Romano of Biden's stance on the Kurds, adding that “he understands the situation in these areas better than any other American president. In 2007, he was one of the planners to add two more autonomous regions alongside the Kurdish region in Iraq, which shows that he understands that a very centralized government in Baghdad is not a good idea.”

He added: "Joe Biden knows the Kurds and, unlike Donald Trump, he does not have an immoral and profiteering attitude towards allies. Joe Biden was the US vice president when Barack Obama decided to arm the Syrian Kurds against the ISIS. Of course, none of this means that the new US President, Joe Biden, immediately supports Kurdish independence, but it does show that Joe Biden will defend Kurdish rights and autonomy more.

"Joe Biden seems to pressure Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his administration more than Donald Trump and even Obama over democracy violations, human rights violations and heinous acts in Syria," said the Missouri university professor about Biden's approach to Turkey.

He further added that “under Joe Biden, real sanctions on Turkey are likely to be imposed because of these measures, as well as the activation of Russia's S400 missile defense system. This issue has been supported by both the Democratic and Republican parties in Congress and the Senate. As a result, Ankara will not have much room for maneuver in Syria and elsewhere.”

Reporter’s code: 50101