Erdogan criticizes U.S. decision on long-range missiles for Ukraine, calls for restraint

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has expressed opposition to the U.S. allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russia. He stated this decision could escalate the conflict and urged both sides to show restraint. Ukraine recently used U.S. ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory, following new permissions from the U.S. government. This action coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval of a policy that lowers the threshold for nuclear weapon use. Turkey supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and has condemned the Russian invasion, while also maintaining strong ties with Russia. Erdogan's comments reflect Turkey's complex position as a NATO member and a neighbor to both countries.