We can't harm our relations with Russia, Erdoğan says

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Turkey can't harm its relations with Russia, as he commented on the talks he held with U.S. President Donald Trump about Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems.

"We have bilateral relations with Russia. We can't harm this relationship of ours. This includes our strategic relationship," Erdoğan told journalists on his way back to Turkey from the U.S. on Nov. 14 when asked whether Turkey would consider not activating the S-400s.

In a meeting at the White House on Nov. 13, Trump urged Erdoğan to abandon the S-400 systems that began arriving in Turkey in July despite threats of sanctions from Washington.

Erdoğan said Washington was not right to propose that Ankara get rid of the S-400 systems, calling it an infringement of sovereign rights, as he held out the option of buying U.S. Patriot defenses.

"I told Trump that we are ready to purchase the Patriots. I also reminded them of the fact that we are not customers, but partners of the F-35 program," he said, referring to the F-35 fighter jet program that Turkey was expelled from following its S-400 purchase.

"We have the second largest army in NATO. We also have strong relations with the U.S. However, diversifying our defense sources is a necessity of our national interests and sovereign rights," Erdoğan said, adding that Ankara might purchase the Patriots under the right circumstances.

Erdoğan said that Greece has S-300 systems and "no one said anything to them," while giving the TurkStream natural gas pipeline, which begins in Russia and runs through Turkey, and the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) as examples for the strategic relationship between Ankara and Moscow.

The Turkish president also noted that Russia is the main partner of Turkey in terms of tourism, adding that the trade volume between the countries is heading towards 30 billion dollars.

"We can't leave the S-400s completely and lean towards the Patriots in such a case," Erdoğan said, adding that he saw a much more positive approach to the F-35 issue from Trump.

Saying that he was asked whether the enemy is Russia or the U.S., Erdoğan noted that he doesn't want enemies.

"I want both the U.S. and Russia as my friend," he added.

Erdoğan also said that he talked with Trump and the senators about the network of the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, which the Turkish government refers to as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

“I have explained this issue to him [Trump] and the five senators. I have talked about this anyway during the press conference in front of the whole world. But, right now, they are still not at a level we expect of them...But still, we have presented all the evidence and the relevant case files to them,” Erdoğan said, referring to the evidences of crimes allegedly committed by the Gülen network.

“The dialogues between the two justice ministries are still continuing; we'll follow this issue in an unyielding manner,” he said.

The Turkish government accuses Gülen of being the mastermind behind the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Turkey has many times reiterated its demand for the extradition of Gülen, who currently resides in Pennsylvania.