US President Donald Trump made a series of statements to journalists after the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Ankara. Speaking before his meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Trump responded positively to a question about removing Syria from the terror list.
Decision to remove Syria from the terror list
Trump said, 'I think I'll do it. Why wouldn't I? (Sharaa) has done a very good job. That's a good question. I think we should do it. Yes, I'll remove (Syria from the list).' When asked whether Syria could help on Lebanon and Hezbollah, he responded, 'They could help. We'll see. We are making great progress on this.'
Turkey-Israel relations and NATO emphasis
Trump also touched on the relationship between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. '(Erdoğan) is not Netanyahu's friend, they don't get along well. But you know, for me (Erdoğan) has been great. Turkey has been a splendid ally. And it's a NATO country,' he said. Emphasizing his contributions to Israel, Trump stated, 'If I weren't the US President, Israel wouldn't exist today.'
Warning on Iran's nuclear program
Saying that Iran must denuclearize, Trump stated, '(Iran) will never have a nuclear weapon. They have accepted that it will never happen. But they always behave badly. There is a problem with them.' Arguing that the US has machines to remove the nuclear material in Iran 'from underground,' Trump said that if the uranium is completely eliminated or an agreement is reached, intervention could take place.
Oil prices and developments in Lebanon
Pointing to the drop in oil prices, Trump said, 'Every time we hit Iran, oil prices go up a bit.' Noting that he had spoken with Netanyahu about Israel's withdrawal of troops from southern Lebanon, Trump assessed, 'Yes, I think they will do it. I think they want to. I think it's a great thing for them to get along well with Lebanon and make agreements with Lebanon.' He said that in line with the agreement, Israel would withdraw and the process would conclude positively.
Criticisms towards the European Union
In response to a question about relations with the EU, Trump said, 'We'll see what happens with the EU. They have taken advantage of us for years. We are very close with those countries, with every country in the EU. The problem is that they have taken advantage of the US for years. Just like (Sharaa). They also took advantage of Syria. He is bringing (Syria) back, and I am bringing the US back.'
Targeting the previous US administration, Trump said of Sharaa, 'If he had come to Washington a year and a half ago, he would have feared for his life because (Washington) was very dangerous.'
