Russia to end visa-free travel deal with Turkey

Lavrov said the visa-free travel will be suspended starting from Jan. 1.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin of the risks of Russian planes intruding into Turkey’s airspace during their meeting earlier this month at a G-20 summit in Turkey.

Erdogan said Friday that Putin urged Turkey to accept the Russian planes “as guests.”

Erdogan said he responded: “There cannot be uninvited guests. The region is sensitive.”

He also accuses Russia of backing Syrian President Bashar Assad’s “terrorist state” which he says is responsible for the deaths of 3,80,000 people.

He again challenged Russia to prove allegations that Turkey was buying oil from the Islamic State group, and claimed that IS sells oil to Assad and that Russian companies were involved.