Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is set to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday in Ankara to address the recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as reported by a Turkish official on Sunday.
On Thursday, Russia launched a new hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile at Ukraine, a reaction to Kyiv’s deployment of U.S. and British missiles against Russian targets. This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing war, which began with Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
As a NATO member, Turkey has condemned the Russian invasion and expressed its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, providing military assistance to Kyiv. However, Turkey, which shares borders with both Russia and Ukraine, has also voiced opposition to Western sanctions against Moscow, citing the importance of their defense, energy, and tourism relationships.
Erdogan criticized a recent U.S. decision permitting Ukraine to utilize long-range missiles for strikes within Russia, arguing that this would exacerbate the conflict, according to a statement from his office.
Moscow has claimed that the U.S. and its allies, by allowing Ukraine to launch Western missiles deep into Russian territory, are engaging in direct conflict with Russia. Additionally, on Tuesday, President Putin approved changes to policy that would lower the threshold for Russia’s use of nuclear weapons in response to conventional attacks.
During their discussions on Monday, Erdogan and Rutte will also address the removal of barriers to defense procurement among NATO allies and the alliance’s collective efforts in combating terrorism, as indicated by the Turkish official.
Discover more from Defence Talks | Defense News Hub, Military Updates, Security Insights
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
