Germany says that NATO cannot 'pay the price for a war started by Turks'

European diplomats have warned the Turkish government that it cannot count on the NATO support should the conflict with Russia escalate into an armed conflict, according to German media.

Ankara has called for a joint ground operation in Syria with its international allies, insisting it is the only way to stop the country's five-year war. Saudi Arabia has said it would be ready to take part in an international force to be deployed in Syria.

Turkey has called for a joint ground operation in Syria with its international allies, insisting it is the only way to stop the country's five-year war. Turkish tanks are pictured in action here in Kobane, Syria, in 2014

A protester holds a placard in 2015 reading 'Killer Russia! Get out from Syria' (L) while others shout slogans in front of the Russian Istanbul consulate during a demonstration against Russia's Syria policy in Istanbul

Russian pilots stand outside their Su-30 jet fighter, armed with air-to-air missiles, before a take off at Hmeimim airbase in Syria last year

But Russia, which has been carrying out air strikes in support of main regional ally Bashar al-Assad, has voiced its opposition to the operation. It also called on the Security Council to press Turkey to halt its shelling of Kurdish forces in northern Syria - but it was rejected.

Turkey's plan was based on the assumption that, in case of conflict, the country could invoke Article 5 of the NATO treaty, the collective defence clause if any member state is attacked.

But Luxembourg foreign minister Jean Asselborn told German magazine Der Spiegel that the Turkish government cannot count on Nato

'NATO cannot allow itself to be pulled into a military escalation with Russia as a result of the recent tensions between Russia and Turkey,' he said.

Asselborn also stressed that Article 5 can only be invoked when a member state is clearly attacked.

A German diplomat echoed Asselborn's stance and said:

'We are not going to pay the price for a war started by the Turks.'

On Friday, French President Francois Hollande also said that Europe needs to prevent a conflict between the two nations.