MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he largely agreed with US President Donald Trump that Islamic State had been defeated, but added that he was skeptical whether the United States would withdraw fully from Syria.
Trump said on Wednesday that the United States had defeated the radical militant group in Syria, and that this fulfilled the only goal for keeping US troops in the country.
Putin said Moscow had not noted any signs of a US withdrawal, and that the United States had many times said it was leaving Afghanistan, but still retained a presence there.
Trump orders full withdrawal of US troops from Syria
Earlier it was announced that, the United States will withdraw all of its troops from Syria, a US official said Wednesday, after President Donald Trump claimed America has “defeated ISIS” in the war-ravaged country.
Does the USA want to be the Policeman of the Middle East, getting NOTHING but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
....Russia, Iran, Syria & many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving, despite what the Fake News says, because now they will have to fight ISIS and others, who they hate, without us. I am building by far the most powerful military in the world. ISIS hits us they are doomed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
“I’m proud of the President today to hear that he is declaring victory in Syria.” Senator Rand Paul. “I couldn’t agree more with the presidents decision. By definition, this is the opposite of an Obama decision. Senator Mike Lee
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 20, 2018
The stunning move, which runs counter to long-established US policy for Syria and the region, caught lawmakers, the Pentagon and international allies off-guard.
US imposes sanctions on three Islamic State recruiters
A withdrawal could have extraordinary geopolitical ramifications, and plunges into uncertainty the fate of US-backed Kurdish fighters who have been tackling Islamic State militants, thousands of whom are thought to remain in Syria.
With additional input from AFP
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