Erdogan Voices ‘Full Support’ for Putin after Wagner’s Armed Mutiny

On Saturday, the Turkish presidency said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and urged him to act rationally after the fighters of a group of Russian mercenaries launched an armed rebellion last night.

Putin said in an emergency televised speech that anyone who took up arms against the Russian army will be punished, describing the actions of the Wagner Private Military Group as "treason".

Erdogan was among the first leaders to speak by phone to Putin after his speech on Saturday.

The Turkish presidency stated that the two presidents discussed the latest developments in Russia, adding that Erdogan had informed Putin of Ankara's readiness to play a role in order to reach a peaceful solution to the situation.

"President Erdogan stressed the need for no one to try to benefit from the current events in Russia," it added.

The Kremlin said in a separate statement that the Turkish president, during the phone call with Putin, supported the Russian government's approach to dealing with the insurgency.

Erdogan has sought to maintain strong relations with both Moscow and Kyiv since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Turkiye, a NATO ally, has refused to join its Western allies in imposing economic sanctions on Russia but has supplied arms to Ukraine and called for its sovereignty to be respected.