North Atlantic Treaty

NATO allies agreed on Dec. 18 to send aircraft and ships to Turkey to strengthen Ankara's air defences on its border with Syria, the alliance's chief said.

Diplomats said the package is partly designed to avoid more shoot-downs of Russian planes. 

At a time when the 28-member alliance is in bid to counter unprecedented security challenges both at home and abroad, two senior Turkish diplomats are being appointed to key posts at NATO.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday at 5pm after Turkey shot down a Russian jet fighter, because it violated its airspace, as Turkey claims.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has warned Russia against losing Ankara?s friendship, after Russian warplanes twice violated its airspace near the Syrian border.

Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov stated on Tuesday that Bulgaria expresses solidarity with Turkey.

His comments come after the request of Turkey for a special meeting of the North Atlantic Council to be convened under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty.

The activities of Russia in the Crimean peninsula and Eastern Ukraine is a deviation if international norms that could affect Bulgaria, NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe has said.