ANKARA

Türkiye gave the “necessary response” after Greek planes tried to interfere in a NATO training mission conducted in international airspace, the National Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

“Combat and support aircraft of our Air Force and the AWACS aircraft commissioned by NATO performed the NEXUS ACE training mission … in international airspace over the Aegean Sea,” the ministry said in a statement.

Greek planes tried to block the mission, the ministry said, adding that the Turkish Air Force gave them the “necessary response … and the NATO mission was successfully completed.”

Türkiye, a NATO member for over 70 years, has complained of repeated provocative actions and rhetoric by Greece in the region in recent months, including arming islands near Turkish shores that are demilitarized under treaty obligations. It says that such moves frustrate its good faith efforts for peace.