Erdogan warned Greece of possible strike at any moment
Turkish leader Tayyip Erdogan expects Athens to be more careful in building relations with Ankara; otherwise, a strike might follow at any moment, RIA Novosti reports
The Anadolu Agency quotes Mr. Erdogan as saying, “Athens is aware of Türkiye’s determination [in countering provocations] and therefore is no longer taking steps aimed at escalating the situation in the region.”
According to the Turkish leader, his country ‘raised the topic of Greece's provocations at the NATO level’. “I think that Athens will analyse future steps in relations with Türkiye from now on. Otherwise, as I said earlier, a strike may follow at any moment," he said.
NATO allies Greece and Turkey have repeatedly found themselves on the verge of armed conflict over territorial disputes. The escalation began on August 23rd when – according to the Turkish Defence Ministry – Greece used a Russian-made S-300 air defence system to target Turkish F-16s during a NATO mission. However, the Greek side did not confirm that information.
In recent days, relations between the two countries have become even more tense. On September 3rd, Tayyip Erdogan said that Greece threatens Turkey with the S-300 air defence system and will pay a ‘heavy price’ if it ‘goes further’. Turkish National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said that Ankara expects objectivity from NATO in connection with Greece’s use of the S-300 in the pursuit of Turkish aircraft. He explained that Greece ignores international law and good-neighbourly relations with Türkiye.
