US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he would lift the sanctions against Turkey after Ankara said that a permanent ceasefire in northern Syria had been reached. The decision includes lifting sanctions from Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez, and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

Trump noted, however, that the White House will reinstate sanctions if the Turkish forces break their obligations.

“We’ve saved the lives of many, many Kurds”, he stressed, explaining the US actions in the region, adding that his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan “is doing the right thing for his country”.