The Turkish-Russian relations are not an alternative to country's ties with the United States and the European Union, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th August, 2018) The Turkish-Russian relations are not an alternative to country's ties with the United States and the European Union, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
"We are not obliged to engage in unfair sanctions that one country introduces on another. Our relations with Russia are not an alternative to our relations with the European Union or the United States. Turkey pursues a balanced policy," Cavusoglu said at a press conference following his meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart, as broadcast by Turkish NTV channel.
His remark came against the backdrop of new US sanctions introduced against Russia on Monday in connection with Russia's alleged role in the Salisbury poisoning incident.
Cavusoglu also commented on the S-400 air defense systems purchase from Russia, which the United States had strongly criticized.
"Initially, we wanted to purchase the air defense systems from our allies, first of all, from the United States. They didn't sell them to us, or didn't want to sell. But we need these systems, we currently have to meet our urgent demand ... [Purchasing] S-400 [from Russia] is not our preference, this is a forced necessity," he added.
Earlier in August, US President Donald Trump signed into law a bill envisaging blocking the F-35 fighter jets supply to Turkey over its potential purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense systems. While the loan agreement with Russia was signed in 2017, the first supplies are scheduled for 2019.
According to Cavusoglu, if the US side applies the "I can do whatever I want to" principle considering the F-35 fighter jets supply, Turkey will take responsive measures.
The Ankara-Washington ties have deteriorated over US pastor Andrew Brunson's arrest in Turkey in 2016 over his alleged ties to the movement that local government considers responsible for orchestrating the 2016 failed military coup in Ankara. The United States has doubled tariffs on imported Turkish steel and aluminum, which resulted in the Turkish lira falling to a historic low, and has also frozen the assets of two Turkish ministers allegedly involved in Brunson's arrest and other human rights' abuses in the country.
Amid the tense relations, a delegation of US House of Representatives visited Ankara earlier this week to hold talks with representatives of the country's foreign and defense ministries.
