Russia and Turkey refuse to back down in row over jet downing
World
Russia and Turkey refuse to back down in row over jet downing
Russia on Wednesday accused Turkey of a “planned provocation” over the downing of a warplane on the Syrian border after a rescued pilot said no prior warning had been given. The Turkish army responded by releasing audio recordings apparently warning the Russian jet it was approaching Turkish airspace and should change course, as tensions remained high following Tuesday’s incident.
Nobody should expect us to remain silent against the constant violation of our border security, the ignoring of our sovereign rights.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The United States and Europe both urged calm and continued dialogue in telephone conversations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a sign of international concern at the prospect of any escalation between the former Cold War enemies. The downing has threatened ties between two major rival players in the Syrian war and raised fears it could escalate into a wider geopolitical conflict.
We must all work to make sure that the situation [between Russia and Turkey] de-escalates.
French President François Hollande
