Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has invited U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Turkey in 2019, a White House spokesman said on Monday.
"While nothing definite is being planned, the President is open to a potential meeting in the future," White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement.
A day before the Pentagon announced the signing of official papers for the complete withdrawal of United States troops from Syria, Trump tweeted on Sunday, "President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right “next door.” Our troops are coming home!"
There are several political analysts calling Turkey the largest benefactor of the U.S. withdrawal from Syria. However, the president of the United States has commented repeatedly, rather than Washington being “the policeman of the Middle East,” he said, Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime could deal with extremists and other enemies on their own. In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced his agreement.
*With inputs from agencies
