Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held on Tuesday a phone call with the US President Donald, Turkish media reported.
The phone call is the first time since Trump took office in mid-January.
During the 45-minute phone call both leaders expressed commitment to the Turkish-US alliance and close partnership, especially on counter-terrorism efforts.
Trump "reiterated US support to Turkey as a strategic partner and a NATO ally, and welcomed Turkey’s contributions to the counter-ISIS campaign", the White House said in a statement.
The statement added that the two countries enjoy a "close, long-standing relationship" and they have a "shared commitment to combatting terrorism in all its forms".
For its part, Turkish presidency also emphasized on counter-terrorism cooperation and on the two nations’ "well-established ties as friends and allies", adding that President Erdogan wished success to President Trump during his term.
Erdogan stressed the importance of countering the PKK and stressed that US should not support the PYD/YPG, said one of the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
Erdogan also highlighted issues such as establishing a safe zone in northern Syria, the refugee crisis, and counter-terrorism efforts.
Erdogan and Trump also agreed to act together on the ISIS-held Syrian cities of al-Bab and Raqqa, the latter the terrorist group’s self-proclaimed capital. Wednesday marks day 169 of the Turkish-led Operation Euphrates Shield to repel ISIS terrorists in northern Syria.
The Erdogan-Trump call came on the eve of a visit by CIA Director Mike Pompeo on Thursday.
التعليقات (0)