“Turkey will continue to honor its duties as a NATO ally.”
This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a television interview, broadcast by private broadcaster Ntv. “There is no room for hesitation regarding this point, we will continue our negotiations in this way,” Erdogan added, responding to a question about Ankara’s role in the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine. “Our desire is to find a solution for the current crisis through dialogue and diplomacy, we continue to believe that it is possible,” the Turkish head of state said, adding that “it is essential to adopt a common position under the umbrella of the Alliance and so far NATO has not acted badly.” The Turkish leader also called some of Moscow’s demands with respect to Kiev “unacceptable,” wishing that Russia would not carry out any “military attack” or “occupation” of Ukraine. “Such a move would not be wise either for Russia or as far as our region is concerned,” Erdogan added.