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Russian-Turkish Tensions Heat Up Over Downed Warplane Russian-Turkish Tensions Heat Up Over Downed Warplane
(about 1 hour later)
MOSCOW — Turkey and Russia traded newly heated barbs and threats on Thursday as the fallout from Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane threatened to lead to a wholesale breach in the countries’ relations. MOSCOW — The downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey threatened to lead to a wholesale breach in the countries’ relations on Thursday, with the Kremlin preparing to sever economic ties and Turkish officials saying they had no reason to apologize.
Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev gave government officials two days to draw up a list of ways for Russia to curb commercial ties and investment projects. That included the possible shelving of a multibillion dollar deal to build a gas pipeline through Turkey that President Vladimir V. Putin himself once trumpeted as a welcome alternative route for substantial Russian gas exports to Europe. Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia gave government officials two days to draw up a list of ways to curb economic links and investment projects. That included the possible shelving of a multibillion-dollar deal to build a gas pipeline through Turkey that President Vladimir V. Putin himself had first trumpeted as a welcome alternative route for Russian gas exports to Europe.
Mr. Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stoked the confrontation by hurling insults at each other. Mr. Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stoked the confrontation by hurling insults at each other and demanding redress.
The standoff between the two proud, pugnacious leaders boded ill for the mission of President François Hollande, who arrived in Moscow to hold talks over dinner with Mr. Putin as part of his effort after the Paris attacks to cement an international coalition to confront the Islamic State. “We have still not heard any comprehensible apologies from the Turkish political leaders, or any offers to compensate for the damage caused, or promises to punish the criminals for their crime,” Mr. Putin said at the Kremlin. He reiterated Russia’s position that the warplane was brought down on Tuesday over Syria, not Turkey.
Right after Turkey shot down the Russian warplane on Tuesday, claiming it had violated Turkish airspace, senior officials in both Moscow and Ankara vowed that they wanted to limit any larger conflict. Given that Turkey is a member of NATO, any military confrontation risks pulling in its Western allies. “One gets the impression that the Turkish leaders are deliberately leading Russian-Turkish relations into a gridlock,” Mr. Putin said, adding later in the day: “Turkey was our friend, almost an ally, and it is a shame that this was destroyed in such a foolish manner.”
But the economic, geographic and historically competitive ties that bind the two faded empires are facing new strains. At the very least, the tension will retard chances of resolving the bloody war in Syria. The standoff between the two prideful leaders boded ill for the mission of President François Hollande, who arrived in Moscow to hold talks with Mr. Putin as part of his effort after the Paris attacks to cement an international coalition to confront the Islamic State.
On Thursday, Mr. Putin accused Turkey of ruining diplomatic relations between the two countries by refusing to apologize for what he said was a clear offense. Mr. Erdogan asserted that his country would shoot down the Russian plane all over again under the same circumstances. Moscow and Ankara had already been divided over the future of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. Turkey insisted that he step aside, while Russia called Mr. Assad a central ally in the fight against the Islamic State.
Mr. Putin repeated his accusation that the downing of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 was “a stab in the back” and reiterated Russia’s position that the plane was brought down over Syria, not Turkey. The downing of the Russian plane inflamed that rift. Mr. Erdogan maintained Thursday that Turkey was protecting its airspace from repeated Russian incursions.
“We have still not heard any comprehensible apologies from the Turkish political leaders, or any offers to compensate for the damage caused, or promises to punish the criminals for their crime,” Mr. Putin said at the Kremlin, addressing 15 new foreign ambassadors who were presenting their credentials. His remarks were carried live on national television. “Faced with the same violation today, Turkey would give the same response,” he said. “It’s the country that carried out the violation which should question itself and take measures to prevent it from happening again, not the country that was subjected to a violation.”
“One gets the impression that the Turkish leaders are deliberately leading Russian-Turkish relations into a gridlock,” he said, “and we are sorry to see this.” Later, Mr. Erdogan appeared to soften his remarks somewhat, telling France 24 television: “We might have been able to prevent this violation of our airspace differently.”
Leaders in Turkey said no apology would be forthcoming. “Faced with the same violation today, Turkey would give the same response,” Mr. Erdogan told a group of officials in Ankara. Immediately after Turkey shot down the Russian warplane on Tuesday, senior officials in Moscow and Ankara vowed that they wanted to limit any larger conflict. Given that Turkey is a member of NATO, any military confrontation risks pulling in its Western allies.
Without naming Mr. Putin directly, the Turkish president dared those who had accused Turkey of supporting the Islamic State to prove it, saying that it was the government of President Bashar al-Assad, a Russian ally, that bought oil from the militant Islamic organization. But the economic, geographic and historically competitive ties that bind the two faded empires are facing new strains. At the very least, the tension will hamper chances of resolving the bloody war in Syria.
The foreign ministries of the two countries also got into the act. The Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said that while he had expressed regret over the episode in a phone call on Wednesday to his Russian counterpart, Sergey V. Lavrov, there would be no apology.
The Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said he had expressed regret over the incident in a phone call on Wednesday to his Russian counterpart, Sergei V. Lavrov. There would be no apology, he stressed.
“We do not need to apologize on an occasion that we are right,” Mr. Cavusoglu said.“We do not need to apologize on an occasion that we are right,” Mr. Cavusoglu said.
Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, objected to the failure of Turkish or NATO officials to offer condolences over the two Russian military men who died after the plane was shot down. She also demanded an explanation from Turkey about the circumstances of the pilot’s death, who was killed after he parachuted from the plane. It is believed he was shot by Turkmen insurgents who live along the border on the Syrian side and are supported by Ankara. Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, objected to the failure of Turkish or NATO officials to offer condolences over the two Russian military men who died after the plane was shot down. She also demanded an explanation from Turkey about the circumstances surrounding the death of the pilot, who was killed after he parachuted from the plane. It is believed he was shot by Turkmen insurgents who live along the border on the Syrian side and who are supported by Ankara.
The insurgents have accused the Russian Air Force of hitting their positions especially hard after the downing, in areas distant from any Islamic State strongholds. It is widely anticipated that Russia will respond to the incident with more such attacks rather than with a direct military challenge to Turkey. The insurgents have accused the Russian Air Force of hitting their positions especially hard after the downing, in areas distant from any Islamic State strongholds. It is widely anticipated that Russia will respond to the episode with more such attacks rather than with a direct military challenge to Turkey.
Even before any formal plans for economic sanctions were drawn up, Russia was already retaliating. Moscow has a long history of suddenly discovering faults with the goods and services of other nations when diplomatic relations sour.Even before any formal plans for economic sanctions were drawn up, Russia was already retaliating. Moscow has a long history of suddenly discovering faults with the goods and services of other nations when diplomatic relations sour.
Hundreds of trucks bearing Turkish fruits and vegetables and other products were stacking up at the Georgian border with Russia, Russian news media reported, as inspections slowed to a crawl and Russian officials suggested there might be a terrorist threat from the goods.Hundreds of trucks bearing Turkish fruits and vegetables and other products were stacking up at the Georgian border with Russia, Russian news media reported, as inspections slowed to a crawl and Russian officials suggested there might be a terrorist threat from the goods.
“This is only natural in light of Turkey’s unpredictable actions,” Dmitri S. Peskov, the presidential spokesman, told reporters.“This is only natural in light of Turkey’s unpredictable actions,” Dmitri S. Peskov, the presidential spokesman, told reporters.
In the Krasnodar region, a group of 39 Turkish businessmen attending an agriculture exhibition were detained for entering Russia on tourist rather than business visas — a common practice — and were slated for deportation, according to a report on the website of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.In the Krasnodar region, a group of 39 Turkish businessmen attending an agriculture exhibition were detained for entering Russia on tourist rather than business visas — a common practice — and were slated for deportation, according to a report on the website of the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
Government officials announced that a special year of cultural exchanges slated for all of 2016 would be canceled. Government officials announced that a special year of cultural exchanges planned for all of 2016 would be canceled.
The biggest question about possible economic fallout hung over major energy projects, including a gas pipeline across the Black Sea and the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. The biggest question about possible economic fallout hung over major energy projects, including the gas pipeline across the Black Sea and the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant.
Alexei Ulyukayev, the minister of economic development, said on Thursday that both the pipeline, known as the Turkish Stream, and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project might be included on any sanctions list.Alexei Ulyukayev, the minister of economic development, said on Thursday that both the pipeline, known as the Turkish Stream, and the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project might be included on any sanctions list.
Gazprom was expected to invest some $10 billion in the pipeline project, which Mr. Putin himself had praised in December 2014 as an alternative to the route across Europe. Russia had been seeking to build the $22 billon South Stream project to avoid sending gas across Ukraine, given its conflict with its neighbor, but balked at the sharing conditions set by the European Union. Gazprom was expected to invest some $10 billion in the pipeline project. Russia had been seeking to build the $22 billon South Stream project to avoid sending gas across Ukraine, given its conflict with its neighbor, but balked at the sharing conditions set by the European Union.
The Russian government warned against tourism to Turkey, and most major tour operators stopped selling vacation packages. Turkey is among the most popular destinations for the Russian middle class, especially after trips to Egypt were banned in the wake of a terrorist attack three weeks ago.The Russian government warned against tourism to Turkey, and most major tour operators stopped selling vacation packages. Turkey is among the most popular destinations for the Russian middle class, especially after trips to Egypt were banned in the wake of a terrorist attack three weeks ago.
Sanctions could be damaging for both countries, even if trade was down in 2015 from a year earlier.Sanctions could be damaging for both countries, even if trade was down in 2015 from a year earlier.
Russia was the biggest source of Turkish imports in 2014, some $25 billion or 10 percent of the total, according to an analysis by Renaissance Capital, much of it likely natural gas. Turkey exported $6 billion worth of goods to Russia in 2014, four percent of all exports, and nearly 4.5 million Russians visited last year, according to the analysis. Russia was the biggest source of Turkish imports in 2014, some $25 billion or 10 percent of the total, according to an analysis by Renaissance Capital, much of it most likely natural gas. Turkey exported $6 billion worth of goods to Russia in 2014, 4 percent of all exports, and nearly 4.5 million Russians visited last year, according to the analysis.
The economies of both countries are troubled, and Russia needs all the customers it can find for its gas, given the plunge in energy prices in the last year. Plans to build exports to China are years away.The economies of both countries are troubled, and Russia needs all the customers it can find for its gas, given the plunge in energy prices in the last year. Plans to build exports to China are years away.
Russia does not always use a calculator in making sanctions decisions. In 2014, when the West imposed economic sanctions for the Russian annexation of Crimea and support for the separatist movement in Ukraine, the Kremlin responded by banning a wide range of food from the West. That caused a surge in prices for Russian consumers.Russia does not always use a calculator in making sanctions decisions. In 2014, when the West imposed economic sanctions for the Russian annexation of Crimea and support for the separatist movement in Ukraine, the Kremlin responded by banning a wide range of food from the West. That caused a surge in prices for Russian consumers.
At the time, the Russian news media hailed the surge in imports of Turkish fruits and vegetables as superior to those from Europe.At the time, the Russian news media hailed the surge in imports of Turkish fruits and vegetables as superior to those from Europe.
Some Russian commentators mocked the prospect of sanctions against Turkey in response to the warplane downing.Some Russian commentators mocked the prospect of sanctions against Turkey in response to the warplane downing.
“Russia’s response to a loss of a military jet, to an actual declaration of war, involved a ban on chicken imports and a ban on its tourists going on vacation to Turkey,” Arkady Babchenko, a Russian journalist, wrote on his Facebook page. “That’s the whole set of tools this ‘energy superpower’ was able to set forth to project geopolitical influence when it came to real matters.”“Russia’s response to a loss of a military jet, to an actual declaration of war, involved a ban on chicken imports and a ban on its tourists going on vacation to Turkey,” Arkady Babchenko, a Russian journalist, wrote on his Facebook page. “That’s the whole set of tools this ‘energy superpower’ was able to set forth to project geopolitical influence when it came to real matters.”
But the Ottoman Empire, Turkey’s ancestor, was an old, bloody rival of the Russian Empire, and the confrontation over the warplane mostly evoked a patriotic response across social media.But the Ottoman Empire, Turkey’s ancestor, was an old, bloody rival of the Russian Empire, and the confrontation over the warplane mostly evoked a patriotic response across social media.
“The Turkish people have never been our friends — artful, cunning and hypocritical,” wrote one man on his Facebook page, while another vowed that “I will not go to Turkey or buy Turkish products.”“The Turkish people have never been our friends — artful, cunning and hypocritical,” wrote one man on his Facebook page, while another vowed that “I will not go to Turkey or buy Turkish products.”
Other Russians lashed out directly at the man who was clashing with their president.Other Russians lashed out directly at the man who was clashing with their president.
“Erdogan completely lost the sense of reality — no good will come of it — not for him, not for Turkey,” wrote Igor Korotchenko, a high-profile military analyst, on Twitter.“Erdogan completely lost the sense of reality — no good will come of it — not for him, not for Turkey,” wrote Igor Korotchenko, a high-profile military analyst, on Twitter.