Russia says collaboration with Turkey not against third countries

The alliance forged between Ankara and Moscow is not directed at other countries, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

"As we have emphasized on every level, Russia is not friends with somebody [to be] against somebody else," Zakharova said.

"For example, Russian collaboration with Turkey is not directed at third countries."

Her comments followed a controversial statement issued by the Greek Foreign Ministry claiming that Russia was a “comrade in arms with Turkey.”

“Since it began fighting as a comrade in arms with Turkey, providing it with a number of facilitations in the security sector, it appears to be steadily distancing itself from positions befitting the level of friendship and cooperation that has characterized Greek-Russian relations for the past 190 years,” the statement read.

Relations between Greece and Russia have recently deteriorated. Russia said on Monday it had summoned Greece's ambassador to Moscow and told him it was responding in kind to what it called an unfriendly decision by Athens to expel two Russian diplomats.

Greece said in July it had expelled two Russian diplomats and barred two other people from entering the country for trying to bribe officials and foment demonstrations to thwart a deal to allow Macedonia to join NATO. Russia flatly denied the allegations.