Erdogan: “Vladimir, it was all a big misunderstanding. Please call me!”

The Turkish leader says that his son is not involved in oil deals with ISIS and that he would never have downed the Su-24 if he had known it was Russian, but Vladimir Putin doesn’t seem to buy it

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told France 24 television on Thursday that Turkey would have acted differently if it had known that the warplane its forces downed on the Syrian border was Russian. “If we had known if it was a Russian plane maybe we would have warned it differently,” said Erdogan. The Turkish leader said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had not answered his call after Tuesday’s incident and that this had caused damage to ties between the two sides.

“I called Mr. Putin but until now he never answered my call,” said Erdogan, stating that he wanted to speak to the Russian leader following the downing of the Russian Su-24 bomber plane by two Turkish F-16s after it reportedly violated its airspace, something that the Russian side denies.

Russia said no warning had been given and that the aircraft did not violate Turkish airspace.

Russia has been fiercely critical of the incident with Moscow viewing the bombing as a “stab in the back” by “terrorist accomplices”.

Erdogan insists that he is not collaborating with ISIS. Statements claiming that he has done deals with ISIS and photos

Tuesday’s incident prompted a tough response from Moscow, a major trade partner and Turkey’s largest energy supplier. Putin has branded the act as a “stab in the back” by “accomplices of terrorists.”

BILAL

On his part, Erdogan denies that Ankara is collaborating with ISIS or buying oil from the group despite incriminating photos of his son with ISIS factions. “Ofcourse they are lies, they are slander,” he said while expressing his anger at the violent demonstration that took place outside the Turkish embassy in Moscow following the downing of the jet. Several hundred young activisits were left undetered to hurl eggs and stones at the embassy, breaking several windows.

Furthermore, there have been incidents against Turkish companies in Russia. In a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry there was dismay expressed concerning the physical attacks being carried out under the pretext of protests.