President Donald Trump emphasized the need to boost cooperation with Turkey regarding “shared strategic challenges in Syria” during a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“President Trump stressed the need to intensify cooperation with Turkey with respect to shared strategic challenges in Syria.” the White House said in its readout of the call.
The leaders also discussed recent diplomatic measures taken against Russia in retaliation for chemical attacks blamed on Moscow, as well as trade practices between the US and EU, the White House said.
The telephone call comes four days after President Erdogan discussed Turkey’s operation in Afrin during a telephone conversation with Macron. Erdogan had expressed the discomfort about baseless statements on the counter-terror operation during the conversation, according to Turkish presidential sources.