Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday vowed Turkey’s leadership
would be made to regret the downing of one of Russia’s warplanes as
Moscow announced a halt to talks on a major gas pipeline project. As
Putin fired another salvo in his mounting war of words with NATO member
Turkey his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared he had
“proof” that Russia was involved in illegal oil trading with the Islamic
State (IS) group in Syria.
Turkey has become Moscow’s prime international sparring partner after
it shot down a Russian jet on its border with Syria on November 24 —
sparking fury in Russia and economic sanctions from the
Kremlin. Erdogan’s allegations of Russian complicity with IS echo
allegations made by Putin against Turkey and its leader in recent days.
“We will not forget this complicity with terrorists. We always
considered and will always consider treachery to be the ultimate and
lowest act. Let those in Turkey who shot our pilots in the back know
this,” Putin told lawmakers in his annual state of the nation speech,
which also focused on Russia’s airstrikes in Syria.
Russia has accused Erdogan and his family of personally profiting
from the oil trade with Islamic State, which controls a large chunk of
Syrian territory, including a number of oil fields. “We know for example
who in Turkey fills their pockets and allows terrorists to make money
from the stolen oil in Syria,” Putin said.
“It is precisely with this money that the bandits recruit
mercenaries, buy arms and organise inhuman terrorist acts aimed against
our citizens, the citizens of France, Lebanon, Mali and other
countries.” Erdogan has furiously denied the allegations against him and
his family and said Turkey had proof that Russia was, in fact, involved
in trading oil with IS.
“We have the proof in our hands. We will reveal it to the world,” the
Turkish leader said in a televised speech in Ankara. Putin, whose
administration has already announced sanctions against Ankara, including
a ban on the import of some Turkish foods and reintroducing visas for
visitors from the country, insisted Turkey would be made to regret its
actions.
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