" NATO allies plan to send patrol aircraft and missiles to strengthen Ankara's air defenses on its border with Syria, officials said on Tuesday, following Turkey's shooting-down of a Russian bomber.
As NATO countries seek to reassure Ankara over the fallout of Russia's incursions into its air space, a decision by Germany and the United States to remove their Patriot missile batteries from Turkey left other allies to fill the gap.
While the German and U.S. steps were announced weeks ago, Russia's surprise intervention in Syria's civil war in September has galvanized NATO countries to offer additional help to Turkey's air force.
Spain is now the only NATO nation with Patriots in Turkey.
"We must make full use of the capabilities we have to counter threats on NATO's southern flank," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told Reuters in Brussels during meetings with other NATO foreign ministers, as offers of ships and aircraft began to trickle in from allies.
"We must support our ally Turkey," he said.
Diplomats said measures are likely to include more ships from NATO members in the eastern Mediterranean, more NATO planes based in the Turkish base at Incirlik and more missile defense batteries in addition to that of Spain.
Foreign ministers said in a statement that the situation on Turkey's border with Syria and Iraq was "highly unstable" and committed to increase Turkey's air defenses, which they described as "assurance measures".
"We remain determined ... to continue developing additional NATO assurance measures and allies are working to prepare other possible contributions," ministers said.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he expected a decision on a package "within weeks" but sought to portray the reinforcements as separate from Russia's air incursions and called for Russia and Turkey to seek a solution to the tensions. ..."
