Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will soon be visiting the White House after weeks of tense relations between the two counties.
President Trump said Wednesday that he had a phone call with the Turkish leader and confirmed that Erdoğan would follow through with a planned visit to Washington, D.C., next Wednesday.
The move comes after Trump drew bipartisan backlash for moving U.S. troops in Syria and allowing Turkish forces to attack Kurdish allies.
“Just had a very good call with President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He informed me that they have captured numerous ISIS fighters that were reported to have escaped during the conflict – including a wife and sister of terrorist killer al Baghdadi,” Trump said in a Wednesday afternoon tweet.
“Also talked about their Border with Syria, the eradication of terrorism, the ending of hostilities with the Kurds, and many other topics. Look forward to seeing President Erdogan next Wednesday, November 13th at the @WhiteHouse!” the president added.
….Also talked about their Border with Syria, the eradication of terrorism, the ending of hostilities with the Kurds, and many other topics. Look forward to seeing President Erdogan next Wednesday, November 13th at the @WhiteHouse!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2019
After the Turkish invasion of Syria, the United States sent a delegation led by Vice President Mike Pence to Ankara and brokered a ceasefire and buffer zone between the Kurds and Turkish forces.
While at the White House, the two leaders are expected to discuss the tension at the Syrian border, as well as the U.S. operation that resulted in the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Turkey also announced this week that it had captured the slain ISIS leader’s sister, Rasmiya Awad, and some of her family.
The meeting between Trump and Erdoğan will come the same day as the House begins its first day of open impeachment hearings.
