Trump Lifts Sanctions on Turkey, Says Ceasefire Permanent

“We’re getting out,” Trump said at the White House, adding that thousands of Kurdish lives were saved as a result.

US President Donald Trump

(Photo: AP)

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, 23 October, he will lift sanctions on Turkey after the NATO ally agreed to permanently stop fighting Kurdish forces in Syria and he defended his decision to withdraw American troops.

"We're getting out," Trump said at the White House, asserting that tens of thousands of Kurdish lives were saved as the result of his actions.

"Let someone else fight over this long, blood-stained sand," he said.

The president, who campaigned on a promise to cease American involvement in “endless wars,” took a victory lap as he lopped the American presence inside Syria in less than a year from about 2,000 troops to a contingency force in southern Syria of 200 to 300.

Trump howeverwarned that if Turkey does not honour its pledge for a permanent cease-fire, he will not hesitate to reimpose sanctions.

Earlier this month, Trump halted negotiations on a $100 billion trade deal with Turkey, raised steel tariffs back up to 50 percent and imposed sanctions on three senior Turkish officials and Turkey's defense and energy ministries.

"The job of our military is not to police the world. Other nations must step up and do their fair share. Today's breakthrough is a critical step in that direction," Trump said.