VP Mike Pence in Ankara - Turkey Agrees to Ceasefire

US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a meeting with President Erdogan in Ankara, and supposedly negotiated a ceasefire agreement.

VP Mike Pence declared Thursday that the United States had achieved a cease-fire settlement with Turkey to end its military operation in Syria and permit the Kurdish forces to withdraw from an authorized ‘safe zone.’

Pence told CNN that Turkey will halt its operation ‘Peace Spring’ for five days to allow the Kurdish forces to retreat and said that US Army will assist in the withdrawal.

The arrangement comes amidst mounting international alarm over Turkey’s military invasion in Syria, after President Trump ordered US forces to withdraw from the country, leaving the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which has been a US ally in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group, without support.

"I'm grateful for the President's leadership. I'm grateful for the more than five hours of negotiations with President [Recep] Erdogan,” Pence said, adding that the negotiating sides “arrived at a solution that we believe will save lives."

By Beka Alexishvili