Turkey’s President Erdogan ‘declares war’ with Russia thanks to an interpreter’s blunder

Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan dramatically appeared to declare war on a surprised Vladimir Putin when they met today.

The Russian dictator appeared momentarily nonplussed as the interpreter mis-translated the Ankara president’s opening remarks at a summit in Sochi.

‘There is war between Russia and Turkey,’ announced the Turkish-Russian translation of Erdogan’s remarks.

Turkey is a NATO state so such a war would engulf the entire world.

‘The current situation between Ukraine and Russia….This is the backdrop of this visit,’ said Erdogan, as he made clear he wanted to act as a broker over the grain deal to feed the world’s poorest nations.

The Russian dictator appeared momentarily nonplussed as the interpreter translated the Ankara president’s opening remarks at a summit in Sochi. ‘There is war between Russia and Turkey,’ announced the Turkish-Russian translation of Erdogan’s remarks

The translation continued: ‘And your invitation – we are glad to have received this invitation. My delegation is glad to have received this invitation’

Telegram channel Crimean Wind called out an ‘epic mistake’ by the official interpreter at the summit between Turkey, a NATO member, and Russia

‘And your invitation – we are glad to have received this invitation. My delegation is glad to have received this invitation.’

Telegram channel Crimean Wind called out an ‘epic mistake’ by the official interpreter at the summit between Turkey, a NATO member, and Russia.

It was unclear if the male interpreter was Russian or Turkish.

The official record of Erdogan’s remarks show that he did not make the mistake – it was the interpreter’s.

It was a rare visit for a foreign leader for an isolated Putin ostracised over his bloody war with Ukraine.

Russia is ready to supply up to one million tons of grain at a preferential price through Turkey to the poorest countries, said the dictator.

It was unclear if the male interpreter was Russian or Turkish. The official record of Erdogan’s remarks show that he did not make the mistake – it was the interpreter’s (pictured here: Putin looking at Erdogan after the interpretation blunder)

It was a rare visit for a foreign leader for an isolated Putin ostracised over his bloody war with Ukraine. Russia is ready to supply up to one million tons of grain at a preferential price through Turkey to the poorest countries, said the dictator

Erdogan, 69, agreed to travel to Russia after Putin, 70, refused to go abroad to Turkey.

Some say this is due to paranoia over arrest for war crimes, others that he is suffering from hidden health problems.

Putin used his press conference to claim he had been cheated by the West over the grain export deal across the Black Sea – a familiar charge.

‘As usual… it often happens this way with our Western partners, they cheated on us again,’ said the dictator.’And didn’t do as promised – again.’