President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed Friday that Turkish President Recep Erdogan tried to contact Putin after a Russian Su-24 fighter-bomber was downed, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.
“It was 7-8 hours after the incident, not earlier. The president was informed of this request,” Peskov was cited by RIA Novosti as saying. He added that Putin was also informed that Erdogan requested a meeting with Putin in Paris on Nov. 30, where both of them would attend a summit on climate change.
On Thursday Erdogan claimed in an interview with the France 24 TV channel that he called Putin right after the incident, but the latter didn't respond.
On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 fighter-bomber was downed by an air-to-air missile from a Turkish F-16 interceptor near the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkey said the jet had violated its airspace while Russia insisted that the plane was on Syrian territory.
Commenting on the incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it would affect relations between the two countries.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
