Erdo?an warns Russia against losing Turkey's friendship

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has warned Russia against losing Ankara?s friendship, after Russian warplanes twice violated its airspace near the Syrian border.

?If Russia loses a friend like Turkey with whom it has a lot of cooperation, it is going to lose a lot of things. It needs to know this,? Erdo?an said in Belgium at a press conference alongside Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel broadcast on Turkish television.

In his toughest remarks yet against Russia in the current crisis, Erdo?an accused Moscow and its ally Iran of working to maintain the ?state terror? of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

His comments came after Russian warplanes twice violated Turkish airspace over the weekend during Moscow?s bombing campaign in Syria aimed at bolstering the al-Assad regime.

?It is of course not possible to remain patient about this,? said Erdo?an, referring to the incursions into Turkish air space.

Erdo?an, whose country is NATO?s only majority Muslim member, applauded the reaction of the alliance to Russia?s actions.

The NATO allies said Oct. 5 that they ?strongly protested? the violations by Russia and noted the ?extreme danger of such irresponsible behavior.?

?An attack on Turkey is an attack on NATO, this needs to be known,? said Erdo?an, referring to Article 5 of the NATO Treaty that states an attack on one ally is an attack on them all.

One day earlier, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu also warned Russia about incursions into Turkish airspace. 

?Let me put it bluntly: Turkey?s rules of engagement are valid for Syria?s, Russia?s or another country?s warplanes. The Turkish Armed Forces have been issued with open instructions. Even if it?s a flying bird, whoever violates...