A well-known Turkish saying for describing disappointing results after big expectations is: “The mountain gave birth to a mouse.” In the aftermath of the Trump-Erdogan meeting at the White House, it is safe to say, the mountain didn’t even give birth to a mouse…it didn’t give birth to anything. President Erdogan met President Trump as a frustrated and disgruntled man. His hopes for a clean sheet after strained relations with the previous US administration were blasted as President Trump only ratified his predecessor’s policies which are clash with important Turkish demands. Moreover, Trump has also approved an Obama period plan to arm Syrian Kurds in preparation for the upcoming battle to retake Raqqa from the Islamic State (ISIS). If Ankara was hoping that it would find more consideration on the Syrian Kurds issue, it was dealt with an even bigger blow after Trump’s decision. US collaboration with the People’s Protection Units (Y.P.G.), the main Syrian Kurdish militia that Turkey considers a terrorist organization linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (P.K.K.), became a major altercation between Washington and Ankara when the Obama administration decided to arm Kurdish forces defending the northern Syrian town of Kobani against ISIS in 2014. Turkey has long worked against any moves that strengthen Kurds in Iraq or Syria because of fears of inciting Kurdish separatists within Turkey. It argues weapons provided to the YPG could ultimately make their way the PKK Kurdish separatist group inside Turkey to be used for terrorist attacks there. Another important demand from the Turkish camp- one which could have made it easier for Ankara to swallow the bitter Y.P.G. pill- was the deportation of Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan blames Gulen and his Hizmet movement for instigating the failed coup in July 2016, and has demanded the United States extradite him. But Trump was bent on disappointing his Turkish counterpart on that front as well. A third key issue is the pending trial of Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian gold trader who has been confined in New York on charges of transgressing on US sanctions on Iran. In 2013, Zarrab was detained by Turkish authorities, only to be released shortly after, in the aftermath of corruption investigations of businessmen accused of having close ties to Erdogan. Erdogan wants the US Justice Department to drop a case against Reza Zarrab. However, his efforts have been in vain. Erdogan often scores points at home with his defiant tone against the West. Returning home empty-handed at a time when his authority has been somewhat weakened, and his popularity is shrinking will surely provoke a strong response from him. However, his options are limited. If Turkeys steps up military action against the Syrian Kurds, it would be too risky given the presence of US forces lining the Turkish-Syrian border. Any accidental casualty by Turkish strikes, will deal Turkey-US relations a major setback, especially after Turkish officials have made a veiled threat to ground US warplanes at Incirlik airbase. Shutting down the base has also has more drawbacks for Turkey, the chief of which is that it is one of the few points of influence it has over Washington. Slowing counterterrorism cooperation is also not something it can afford, given it is currently engaged in a two-front war against the P.K.K. and ISIS. Erdogan could of course play the “Russia card.” Ankara is currently in negotiations to attain the Russian-made S-400 air defense system- the talks about the purchase are in the final stage. But at a time when tensions between NATO and Russia are high, Turkey’s decision will be viewed as an upfront snub to the alliance. Against this background, the fact that Turkey is vital in the fight against ISIS cannot be sidelined. To prevent the Turkey-US alliance from sliding into a perpetual pit, Trump has to pacify Erdogan. It is true that he might not want to give in to Turkey’s demands on the Y.P.G., Fethullah Gulen or Reza Zarrab. But there are some steps he can take to somewhat mitigate some of Ankara’s concerns because practically, Washington cannot afford to lose an ally like Turkey, no matter how bewildering the actions of that ally. One step he can take is to offer the Patriot missile systems at a price acceptable to Turkey, and agree to share technology with its NATO ally. This would not only please Ankara, but also help keep Turkey within the Western alliance’s defense arrangement. A second thing Trump can do is to reduce support for the P.K.K. In this regard, it could offer further intelligence assistance, and pressure its European allies to curb funding channels to the P.K.K. This would help in mollifying Erdogan in his fight against the Kurds. Trump’s decision to arm the Syrian Kurds is likely to shadow Turkey-US relations for years to come. It will also feed already established notions within Turkish society that the West aims to carve out a Kurdish state. Reasoning from this fact, efforts to reassure Ankara are imperative and might keep Erdogan onboard until a lasting solution is found. For now history will record Erdogan’s recent visit as the most unsuccessful presidential visit ever to Washington. The writer is LUMS and University of Warwick alumnus. She is currently a research fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. Her prime area of interest is Middle East. She can be reached at arhama.siddiqa@issi.org.pk