Putin on Trump's Syria Pullout: Delivering on Election Promises 'Rare' in US
President's move to fulfill his election campaign promise praised by Russian leader
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Following Donald Trump's withdrawal of US troops from Syria, President Vladimir Putin praised the President's move to fulfill his election campaign promise.
Hosting Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani in Sochi, Putin and the two leaders considered their joint effort to advance settlement in Syria, a goal they promise is coming closer with every month.
Trump' Syria 'pullout' was a significant point of discussion at the media conference, all agreeing on the withdrawal will benefit Syria.
The Russian leader was notably hopeful that the move would occur soon.
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“President Trump is quite actively working on fulfilling his election campaign promises, which in practice rarely happens in the US political life. The withdrawal of the American troops from Syria was one of those promises,” Putin said.
He then acknowledged that opposition to Trump’s plans at home prevents him from carrying out his plans.
But Putin says he expects the Americans to leave Syria eventually.
“If that happens, the only right decision in terms of security would be handing over those territories under the control of the Syrian armed forces,” Putin emphasized.
#BREAKING We wont tolerate #terrorists in #Idlib province in #Syria. I think we should discuss concrete practical steps on fighting them - #Putin at #Russia #Turkey #Iran summit on Syria
— Maria Finoshina (@MFinoshina_RT) February 14, 2019
#BREAKING #Syria has one people, Kurds included, we should consider this - #Iran leader @HassanRouhani after summit in Sochi
— Maria Finoshina (@MFinoshina_RT) February 14, 2019
Actions have consequences, and whether we’re in Syria or not, the people who want to harm us are there & at war. Isolationism is weakness. Empowering ISIS is dangerous. Playing into Russia & Iran’s hands is foolish. This President is putting our national security at grave risk.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) December 21, 2018
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Putin’s Turkish guest, Erdogan, said that the pullout of US troops from Syria must not compromise the national security of Turkey.
“They are now saying the withdrawal may happen in April or May. And who knows what will happen then,” Erdogan said.
“We don’t want any part of Syria to be given to terrorists,” he added, referring to Kurdish militias in northern Syria.
Iran’s Rouhani said that the Us withdrawal from Syria would be beneficial for the Syrian people.
“We believe the US should understand that the way they [are] asserting its influence in the Middle East is wrong. What they are doing benefits neither our people nor the American people,” Rouhani said.
Last year, Hillary Clinton slammed Trumps' Syria pullout claiming it would put the United States' national security at risk.
The twice-failed Presidential candidate insisted the move was "empowering ISIS."
“Actions have consequences, and whether we’re in Syria or not, the people who want to harm us are there & at war. Isolationism is a weakness.
Empowering ISIS is dangerous. Playing in Russia & Iran’s hands is foolish. This President is putting our national security at grave risk,” Clinton, the 2016 Democratic nominee for president, tweeted.
