Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems does not mean a change of the country's strategic orientation, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told his U.S. counterpart by phone on Friday, adding that the acquisition was a necessity.
Turkey's Defence Ministry also cited Akar as saying Ankara was still assessing the bid to acquire U.S. Patriot air defence systems and that a deterioration of bilateral relations would not serve the interests of either country.
