Erdogan: Turkey will not back down due to US sanctions
Turkey's president said his government would not back down and was willing to "go its own way" if the United States imposes sanctions over an American pastor who is being tried on espionage and terror-related charges.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended his silence late Saturday on the escalating diplomatic dispute involving Andrew Craig Brunson, 50. The evangelical pastor was arrested in December 2016 and jailed until he was released to home detention last week.
"They cannot make Turkey back down with sanctions," Turkish media quoted Erdogan saying during an official visit to southern Africa.
