According to Stoltenberg, Turkey's NATO allies plan to send patrol aircraft and missiles to strengthen Ankara's air defenses on its border with Syria, after last week's downing by a Turkish fighter of a Russian Su-24 bomber.
The decision was announced on Tuesday during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, where top German diplomat Frank Walter-Steinmeier called for preserving a dialogue with Russia, especially regarding the Syrian settlement.
Speaking at the Brussels gathering, he underlined the importance of avoiding the aggravation of the situation in light of the downing of the Russian warplane.
"For such cases, we need — even if it's no major political negotiations — it became apparent that we need a more active exchange of information ", Walter-Steinmeier said.
Das Erste drew attention to the fact that the United States has repeatedly urged Turkey to resolve the conflict with Russia. The TV channel quoted US military sources as saying that Moscow remains an important factor in fighting Daesh, also known as the Islamic State group, or ISIL.
Given the current state of affairs, the NATO chief will no way add fuel to the fire and will urge both Moscow and Ankara to solve the crisis via diplomatic means, Das Erste concluded.
