Erdogan insists Turkey will not abandon the West despite ties with Russia and China

Turkey is not distancing itself from the West while seeking closer ties with Russia and China, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. His comments came after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan. Erdogan reiterated Turkey's goal of full SCO membership and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, highlighting the need for maritime security in the Black Sea.