ANKARA (Sputnik) — The importance of relations between Turkey and Russia is too high to sacrifice the ties, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Monday.
"Russian-Turkish relations are too important to be sacrificed," Kalin told journalists.
Turkey expects new steps to improve bilateral relations and is ready for them, the spokesman added.
Russian-Turkish relations deteriorated following the downing of the Russian Su-24 aircraft by a Turkish F-16 fighter in Syria in late November. In response to this "stab in the back," as it was described by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow imposed a number of restrictive measures on Turkey.
Russia's retaliatory measures against Ankara include, in particular, a restriction of the activities of Turkish organizations in Russia, prohibition of hiring Turkish citizens by Russian employers and a ban on certain food imports, including most poultry products.
