Russia is making it very clear to Turkey that encouraging Ukrainian initiatives on Crimea is equal to an encroachment on the integrity of Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.
"When it comes to Ukrainian affairs, on all levels we urge our Turkish colleagues to carefully analyze the situation and stop feeding Kiev's militaristic sentiments. We make it extremely clear that encouraging aggressive Ukrainian initiatives on Crimea is tantamount to an encroachment on Russia's territorial integrity," he said.
In this regard, Russia expects that Turkey's line will be "adjusted taking into account Moscow's legitimate concerns," the Minister stressed.
On April 10, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that during talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky in Istanbul, he confirmed Ankara's decision not to recognize the "annexation of Crimea" and expressed support for the "Crimean Platform" initiative, which "is aimed at bringing the international community closer together on Crimea."
Dialogue between Russia and Turkey
The Russian Foreign Minister also noted that the divergence of positions on some international subjects does not prevent Moscow and Ankara from conducting an intensive political dialogue and developing cooperation.
"Indeed, Ankara and I have serious differences on a number of international issues. However, this does not prevent us from maintaining an intensive political dialogue with our Turkish partners and developing mutually beneficial cooperation in various spheres, from energy to tourism," he said.
Lavrov recalled that Turkey, as a NATO country, despite serious pressure from Washington, has already implemented a major contract for the purchase of a modern system of S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems. "Thus, without downplaying our differences, we will continue to be guided by a strategic vision of our common interests in the development of cooperation with Turkey. I am confident that this meets the aspirations of both Russian and Turkish peoples," Lavrov summarized.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS