U.S. says downed Russian warplane violated Turkish airspace

The U.S. State Department said on Monday that the downed Russian warplane violated Turkish airspace, urging Russia and Turkey to de-escalate the situation through dialogue.

"The available information, including evidence from Turkey and our own sources, indicates the Russian aircraft violated Turkish airspace," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told a daily press briefing. "We also know that the Turks warned the Russian pilots multiple times before the airspace violation, to which the Turks received no response."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree imposing economic sanctions against Turkey on Saturday.

Russia's move came after Turkey shot down a Russia's fighter jet last Tuesday, with the latter claiming that the Russian warplane violated Turkish airspace, which Moscow vehemently denied and insisted the Su-24 fighter jet stayed over Syria during its flight.

"We support Turkey's right to defend its territorial airspace," Trudeau said. However, it is important now for Ankara and Moscow to take measures to de-escalate the tensions.

Earlier on Saturday, Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning, urging Turkish nationals to postpone their visits to Russia unless absolutely necessary.

"We need to encourage dialogue now and we need to de-escalate the situation," Trudeau said.

Putin has warned that the incident would have serious consequences for Moscow-Ankara relations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday voiced regret over the incident, saying his country was "truly saddened" by the incident and wished it hadn't occurred.

Erdogan had previously proposed a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the climate change summit in Paris on Monday, but was rejected by the Kremlin. Enditem