Turkey’s role in Nato

sir – Having done a two-year stint in a Nato post in Turkey as the senior British officer there, and having travelled extensively in the country, I must oppose Group Captain Michael Clegg’s argument that Turkey should leave Nato (Letters, May 23).

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not Turkey, and may not even be in office after next year’s election. He is currently gaming the system to burnish his credentials.

Turkey is indeed different from many European countries but we’d do better to try to understand these differences and the problems it faces. It has well-trained, well-equipped armed forces and is better inside the tent than out. I would be deeply disturbed if it joined some other alliance.

Gp Capt Robert Plummer (retd) Wimborne, Dorset

sir – Since Turkey has vetoed the swift accession of Finland and Sweden to Nato, should we not encourage other Nato countries to circumvent the problem by following Britain’s example in signing mutual defence pacts with these countries? Carmichael A Thomas Wellingborough, Northamptonshire

sir – Juliet Samuel makes an interesting argument (“Putin has unleashed catastrophe on the world – and the West could get the blame”, Comment, May 21). However, I have two points to add. First, potash is produced at Boulby in North Yorkshire. While this might not replace the entire supply from Belarus, it may be possible to increase output and ship supplies from Teesport.

Secondly, although transporting Ukrainian grain out by train is an option, Ukraine’s railways use the Russian track gauge of 1,520mm rather than the British and European standard 1,435mm gauge. This means that cargo must be transhipped at the Ukrainian border, adding to delays and vulnerability to Russian attack.

Peter Dew