Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that NATO will help one of the member countries Turkey if they needed.
Mr. Stoltenberg said, “Turkey is a strong ally and they have the second-largest army.”
“They have a capable air force, so the Turkish armed forces are the first responders, but NATO is there to help and assist them if they need,” he added.
Mr. Stoltenberg criticised if Russia continued support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, it would only prolong the crisis.
“Russia should play a constructive role in the fight against (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). To support the Assad regime is not constructive. This is only prolonging the war in Syria,” he said.
“There are no plans for NATO as an alliance to go into Syria,” he added.
NATO accused Russian warplanes of violating the airspace in Turkey during their attacks.
Mr. Stoltenberg said about NATO troop levels in Afghanistan that discussion of a planned withdrawal would be by the end of 2016, but the Alliance would not leave Afghanistan entirely.
“NATO is not going to leave Afghanistan, NATO will stay in Afghanistan. What we are discussing is in what way are we going to support the Afghans. Even if the support mission ends at the end of 2016 we will not leave Afghanistan. The main idea is that we will continue to support in one way or another,” he said.
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