Turkish President Erdogan has accused US President Joe Biden of fueling war after he gave Ukraine permission to use ATACMS missiles against Russia.
In a conversation on his flight back from Brazil, where he was on his way to the G20 summit, the Turkish president said he did not think the decision was right nor did he approve of it.
“Since the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia war, we believe that it can be ended not with more weapons, more blood, more tears, but with more peace efforts, more goodwill and diplomacy. Now, Mr. Biden has taken a step that can be interpreted as a move that will fuel a war that not only does not end it, but spreads it. This step by Biden, in addition to escalating the conflict, will provoke a bigger reaction from Russia,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
He noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin “has endorsed a doctrine that allows his country to respond with nuclear weapons in the event of a ballistic missile attack” and escalated his criticism of Joe Biden, he added: “All of this could lead the region and the world to the brink of a new and great war. The ‘let the world be destroyed after me’ approach is going nowhere.”
“We expect and hope that the Ukrainian and Russian sides will focus on peace, keeping calm without getting trapped in provocations. The slightest mistake made on the ground as a result of this big mistake, engaging in provocations is equivalent to a fire in a powder keg. Therefore, I advise everyone to act carefully,” the Turkish president added.
