Trump gives a date: I might be in Istanbul

US President Donald Trump, who is in Qatar for the final stop of his Middle East tour, gave notable messages in his statements in the capital Doha.

Trump made statements regarding the peace talks between Ukraine and Russia to be held in Istanbul.

Avoiding a clear answer to questions about his participation in the talks in question, Trump left the door open for a possible visit to Turkey by saying, “I said if I don't go, Putin won't come, and I was proven right. If necessary, I can go to Istanbul on Friday.”

“PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN CALLED ME”

Trump also evaluated his meeting with Syrian leader Ahmed Shara, another topic on the agenda. Expressing his confidence in Shara, the US President used positive expressions about him, saying, “I met the country's new leader, he has a strong background and I liked him very much, I think he will be a great representative.”

Speaking about the economic sanctions imposed on Syria, Trump drew attention to the pressure from countries in the region on this issue. He stated, “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also called me and asked, ‘Is there a way to do this?’ If we didn't do this, they would have had no chance left. So I did it.”

“I WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF THE SANCTIONS”

Trump also frankly admitted that the sanctions imposed on Syria had been in effect for a long time and that he was therefore not familiar with the details. Arguing that the Shara administration should be given a chance for a fresh start, he said, “As you know, there was a major change at the top of the country. And I thought we should give them a chance.”

Acknowledging the weight of the sanctions, Trump said, “They had no chance with these sanctions. They were high-level sanctions. No one could cope with them. It wasn't even possible to call Syria.”

News Source: 12punto