Syria Crisis: Donald Trump Says Erdogan Told Him He Wants Ceasefire To Work

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had assured him that he wants the “ceasefire” with Kurdish militants in northern Syria to work. Trump, in a series of tweets, said he had spoken to Erdogan and “he very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. “Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen,” the US president said.

“There is good will on both sides & a really good chance for success,” he said.

“The US has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey.”

Trump also said that “some” European countries, which he did not name, “are now willing, for the first time, to take the (Islamic State group) Fighters that came from their nations.”

“This is good news, but should have been done after WE captured them,” he said. “Anyway, big progress being made!!!!” Trump also tweeted “DEFEAT TERRORISM!” in all capital letters in response to a tweet by Erdogan saying “Mr. President, many more lives will be saved when we defeat terrorism, which is humanity’s arch enemy.”

Earlier Friday, Erdogan warned that Ankara would resume military operations against Kurdish forces in Syria if they did not withdraw from a “safe zone” along the Turkey-Syria border.

Turkey has agreed to suspend its offensive for five days in northern Syria while Kurdish fighters withdraw from the area, after high-stake talks with US Vice President Mike Pence in Ankara.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that he did not give a green signal to Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to invade northern Syria. Trump said that he had written a "very powerful letter" to warn the Turkish president in the days after announcing his decision to pull back US troops from the region. In the letter published by the News York Times, Trump wrote: "Let's work out a good deal! You don't want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don't want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy — and I will. I've already given you a little sample with respect to Pastor Brunson."