Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed for an escort of Russian fighter jets to accompany him to Turkey, slowing down arrangements for a possible visit within the next few weeks, according to a new report.
The Kremlin leader wants to travel with Russian fighter aircraft in a highly unusual move that could trigger NATO air defenses in Turkey, U.K.-based news website Middle East Eye reported on Tuesday. Newsweek has reached out to the Kremlin for comment.
Turkey, a long-standing NATO ally, maintains a careful and often-difficult balance between its place in the alliance and its contact with Russia. The latter has become a pariah state for many NATO countries since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two-and-a-half years ago.
“In an environment where 32 allies are together, it is unthinkable to have the same views on every issue,” Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler told POLITICO in early July.