G20: Turkey’s Erdogan says Poland missile ‘has nothing to do with Russia’
SMA NEWS – ANKARA
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday he expects a deal that allows Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea would be extended by up to a year beyond the Saturday deadline.
“It will continue,” said Mr Erdogan, choosing to stay away from the meeting of leaders at the G20 summit in Bali to address the world media. “There is no problem there.”
Mr Erdogan also said he believes the missiles that struck Polish territory did not come from Russia.
“Russia saying this has nothing to do with them and Biden saying these missiles are not Russian-made show this has nothing to do with Russia,” Mr Erdogan, whose country is part of the NATO alliance, told the media.
Mr Erdogan said he will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin when he returns to Turkey.
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden had had an unscheduled meeting with Mr Erdogan on the sidelines of the summit.
Despite being part of NATO, Mr Erdogan has nurtured ties with Moscow and has purchased a Russian air defense system over his allies’ objections.
He also recently blocked the admission of Sweden and Finland to the alliance over concerns about US and European support for Kurdish militants that Ankara regards as terrorists.
