WASHINGTON, Jan 8: President Donald Trump discussed the US strategy in Syria and the defeat of the ISIS with French President Emmanuel Macron, the White House said, amid global concern over America’s early exit from the war-torn country.
Trump’s surprise announcement in December that appeared to signal a rapid withdrawal of the American forces from war-torn Syria, where the US special forces play an important role in supporting local forces fighting the dreaded ISIS group caused a diplomatic storm.
“We’ve won against ISIS,” he said at that time. “We’ve beaten them and we’ve beaten them badly. We’ve taken back the land. And now it’s time for our troops to come back home.”
Allies, like Britain, France, and American lawmakers were taken off-guard when Trump announced plans for the withdrawal.
The White House on Monday said Trump and Macron talked about “plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of the US troops from Syria”.
“The two leaders discussed the situation in Syria, including the commitment of the United States and France to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of US troops from Syria,” the White House said in a readout of the phone call.
“They reiterated that any further use of chemical weapons in Syria must not be tolerated,” the White House said.
Trump on Monday also held a call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where they spoke about the detention of two Canadian citizens in China and trade issues, the White House said.
The two leaders agreed to continue to seek the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were taken into custody last month by Chinese authorities.
“President Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau today, during which the two discussed the unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens in China as well as bilateral trade issues,” the White House said in a readout of the call between the two leaders.
The detention of Canadian citizens by China come in the aftermath of the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei. Detention of Canadian citizens by China is considered as a retaliatory move by Beijing.
The two leaders also talked about the steel and aluminum tariffs Trump imposed against Canada. The move prompted retaliatory measures from Canada.
The two nations have since brokered an agreement on a revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), dubbed the US Mexico Canada Agreement. Congress has yet to ratify the revised deal. (AGENCIES)
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