ANKARA, December 24. /TASS/. Tensions between NATO and Russia "have reached a dangerous level," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu cautioned on Friday.
"Tensions between Russia and NATO have reached a dangerous level. Turkey will not disregard its close ties with Ukraine simply because of its extensive relationship with Russia," the TRT TV channel quoted him as saying.
According to Cavusolgu, Turkey "pursues diplomacy in accordance with the circumstances and requirements of the country's national security." "It is a tough job but that’s what diplomacy is for. The Turkish government seeks to build a foreign policy based on three pillars, which include national values and interests, the situation on the ground and the country’s capabilities," he specified.
The West and Kiev have recently been spreading allegations about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as an "empty and unfounded" escalation of tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such allegations and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.