Russian Federation has stepped up its pressure on Turkey, suspending the planned construction of a crucial gas pipeline between the two countries.
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With relations between Russia and Turkey somewhat cold, Russian energy company Gazprom said it was reviewing the status of a pipeline through the Baltic Sea.
Moscow has announced a series of economic sanctions on trade with Turkey and President Putin has accused Turkey of involvement in oil deals with Daesh. Ankara has refused to apologize for the incident, saying the plane was given ample warning and was in Turkish airspace.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged Putin and said he will step down if Russian claims that Turkey buys oil from Daesh are proven.
The prime minister pointed out that there are no and won’t be problems between Turkish and Russian people.
“So, we attach much importance to three mechanisms; Turkey-Azerbaijan-Georgia, Turkey-Azerbaijan-Iran and Turkey-Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan”, he added.
“No one can blame Turkey, no one can expect an apology from Turkey”, Davutoglu said in the speech, which was televised on Turkish television. It also slammed an array of economic sanctions on Turkey, including a ban on imports of fruit and vegetables and the sales of tourism packages.
“Those who believe that economic sanctions against an honorable nation like Turkey can bring it to its knees will be mistaken”, Davutoglu said. “Let’s reinforce our friendship by not preventing our Russian friends from coming to Turkey but enabling more Turks to go to Russia”, he said.
Following the meeting, Cavusoglu said Ankara expected a “recovery” in its strained relationship with Russian Federation but warned that the process would require patience as they want an end to “groundless accusations”.
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“I heard that David Cameron said that resolution 2249, which was accepted unanimously after the terrorist attacks in Paris, gives the right to the British to carry out these strikes on Syrian territory”, Interfax reported Mr. Lavrov as saying after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.
