ANKARA (SW): Russia and Turkey have pronounced the killing of Russian envoy in Ankara last night as "provocation" to undermine relations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday the attack on Russian envoy was a "provocation" to undermine relations Turkey and Russia carry in Syria. Putin's remarks followed the fatal shooting of Andrey Karlov, Moscow’s ambassador to Turkey, at an art exhibition in Ankara.
"Attack on Russian ambassador was a provocation against the good relations that Turkey and Russia carried out in Syria," Putin said and called for a 'strengthening' of the war against terrorism as a response to the assassination. He also wanted to know who "directed" the killer.
Meanwhile, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has "strongly" and "vehemently" condemned the assassination of Andrey Karlov on Monday evening. "Both Turkey and Russia have the will not to be deceived by this provocation," Erdogan told the state-owned Anadolu Agency.
"I believe this is an attack on Turkey, the Turkish state and the Turkish people, and also a clear provocation to Turkish-Russian relations. I am sure our Russian friends also see this fact," he added.
Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on stronger cooperation to fight terrorism internationally, Erdogan also revealed. He confirmed that the assailant was a 22-year-old Turkish riot police officer called Mevlut Mert Altintas.
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