Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues his provocations against Greece, declaring during his opening speech at the Turkish parliament assembly that Ankara knows who turned Greece against Turkey after 100 years.
"We know very well who unleashed Greece on us again after 100 years," the Turkish president said. "We know the game played this way."
"Greece's armament is incompatible with reason, understanding and alliance. It is not in anyone's interest to pursue a policy of provocation and will not do so. We advise Greece to refrain from behaviours that will lead its people to destruction," Erdoğan said.
He added that "the world is being drawn into a great vortex. Turkey is the country most affected by all the developments and we cannot afford to follow the events in our region."
Also, in the same speech, he referred to Sweden and Finland's request to join NATO, pointing out that Turkey will not ratify their request "as long as the promises" they have made are not kept.
"As long as the promises made to our country are not kept, we will maintain our position of principle," Erdoğan, who has threatened since May to block the two Scandinavian countries from joining NATO, told parliament.
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It is recalled that US Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned Turkey on Wednesday against purchasing a second batch of Russian S-400 missiles, expressing deep "concern".
“I am deeply concerned about reports that Turkey is considering further purchases of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, a delivery that would be another clear violation of U.S. sanctions mandated by the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions law,” he said in a statement.
“As Russia continues its brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has a responsibility and an opportunity to unequivocally demonstrate its commitment to NATO and to regional peace and security by fully rejecting any military cooperation with a war criminal like Vladimir Putin,” Menendez continued.
“Between continued antagonistic violations of Greece’s airspace and the delaying of the accession process for Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership, I sincerely hope Turkey will change course and live up to its responsibilities to the defense alliance by being the constructive partner in the region we all hope it can be,” it was said.
“The United States must be clear,” the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned. “Any expansion of Turkey’s ties to the Russian defense sector would be a grave mistake that would further endanger the security of our NATO allies and partners throughout Europe.”
Erdoğan in Prague next week
The Turkish president will go to Prague next week for the first meeting of the European Political Community, with the participation of 44 countries.
Turkey and the United Kingdom are among 44 countries invited to the first meeting of the European Political Community to be held on October 6 in Prague, a European official announced.
This platform for political dialogue and cooperation was an initiative launched in May by French President Emmanuel Macron.
The invitation to the leaders of the 27 EU countries, candidate countries and neighboring countries was sent by the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala, whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
In addition to the EU member states, the leaders of the six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia), the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, Moldova, Iceland, Georgia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also be present.
This first summit at the level of heads of state and government will be held on October 6 in Prague, the eve of the "27" summit in the same city.
