Türkiye sovereign in deciding Russia cooperation areas, Kremlin says

MOSCOW

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that Türkiye, as a sovereign nation, independently chooses the sectors for collaboration with Russia.

Responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on Russian-Turkish energy ties during a Moscow briefing, Peskov noted that the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines operate at full capacity.

Peskov emphasized ongoing trade and economic links between Türkiye and Russia.

"Türkiye is a sovereign state that independently decides on the areas in which it will cooperate with Russia," he said.

He added that if Türkiye deems trade in certain goods advantageous, it will proceed with purchases.

On reports that diplomats from several NATO countries advocate shooting down Russian aircraft for airspace violations, Peskov labeled them "irresponsible."

"I don't even want to talk about it; it's an extremely irresponsible statement. Extremely irresponsible because the accusations against Russia claiming that its military aircraft violated someone else's airspace or intruded into anyone's territory are groundless," he stressed.

Peskov asserted no solid evidence backs these claims, affirming, "Our fighters conduct all flights strictly adhering to international regulations."

Addressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's remark that Kremlin officials should locate the nearest bunker if Russia doesn't end the war, Peskov suggested Zelensky aims to impress his backers as a "good soldier."

"It seems evident that Zelensky continues to make desperate efforts to convince his presumed patrons, now expected to be Europeans, that he is a competent and successful warrior. Consequently, he throws threats right and left, sounding rather reckless," he said.

Such threats show "the thoughts of the Kiev regime are focused on war, not peace," Peskov added.

"The real situation on the battlefronts tells a different story: every day, Ukraine's position and negotiation stance deteriorate," he concluded.