Turkey wants ceasefire to work, says Donald Trump

This comes hours after the US reached a deal with Turkey to suspend the military offensive in northern Syria for 120 hours to allow Kurdish forces to withdraw from the affected areas towards the safer zone.

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday spoke to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and claimed that he very much wanted the ceasefire to work.

In a series of tweets, the US President wrote, "Just spoke to President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He told me there were minor sniper and mortar fire that was quickly eliminated. He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen. Too bad there wasn't..."

• Just spoke to President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He told me there was minor sniper and mortar fire that was quickly eliminated. He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen. Too bad there wasn’t.....

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Just spoke to President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He told me there was minor sniper and mortar fire that was quickly eliminated. He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen. Too bad there wasn’t.....

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  ">

  Just spoke to President @RTErdogan of Turkey. He told me there was minor sniper and mortar fire that was quickly eliminated. He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work. Likewise, the Kurds want it, and the ultimate solution, to happen. Too bad there wasn’t.....

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  
  

".....this thinking years ago. Instead, it was always held together with very weak bandaids, & in an artificial manner. There is goodwill on both sides & a really good chance for success. The U.S. has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey....," he said in another tweet.

• .....this thinking years ago. Instead, it was always held together with very weak bandaids, & in an artificial manner. There is good will on both sides & a really good chance for success. The U.S. has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey....

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  .....this thinking years ago. Instead, it was always held together with very weak bandaids, & in an artificial manner. There is good will on both sides & a really good chance for success. The U.S. has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey....

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  ">

  .....this thinking years ago. Instead, it was always held together with very weak bandaids, & in an artificial manner. There is good will on both sides & a really good chance for success. The U.S. has secured the Oil, & the ISIS Fighters are double secured by Kurds & Turkey....

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  
  

The President also claimed that he has just been notified that some European nations are now willing for the first time to take the ISIS fighters that came from their nations.

"This is good news but should have been done after WE captured them. Anyway, big progress being made!!!!," Trump said.

• ....I have just been notified that some European Nations are now willing, for the first time, to take the ISIS Fighters that came from their nations. This is good news, but should have been done after WE captured them. Anyway, big progress being made!!!!

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  ....I have just been notified that some European Nations are now willing, for the first time, to take the ISIS Fighters that came from their nations. This is good news, but should have been done after WE captured them. Anyway, big progress being made!!!!

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  ">

  ....I have just been notified that some European Nations are now willing, for the first time, to take the ISIS Fighters that came from their nations. This is good news, but should have been done after WE captured them. Anyway, big progress being made!!!!

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  
  

Re-tweeting a tweet by the Turkish President, Trump wrote, "DEFEAT TERRORISM!"

• DEFEAT TERRORISM! https://t.co/8WbnLPgWIK

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  DEFEAT TERRORISM! https://t.co/8WbnLPgWIK

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  ">

  DEFEAT TERRORISM! https://t.co/8WbnLPgWIK

  — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2019

  
  

This comes hours after the US reached a deal with Turkey to suspend the military offensive in northern Syria for 120 hours to allow Kurdish forces to withdraw from the affected areas towards the safer zone.

The proposed ceasefire announced seems extremely similar to the previous "Security Mechanism" agreement with Turkey earlier this year, media reported.

A high-level delegation, including Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to address the dire situation.