Trump urges Turkish help in talk with France’s Macron

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump emphasized the need to boost cooperation with Turkey regarding "shared strategic challenges in Syria" during a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday.

"President Trump stressed the need to intensify cooperation with Turkey with respect to shared strategic challenges in Syria," the White House said in its readout of the call.

The leaders also discussed recent diplomatic measures taken against Russia in retaliation for chemical attacks blamed on Moscow, as well as trade practices between the U.S. and E.U., the White House said.

The telephone call comes four days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed his country’s operation in Afrin during a telephone conversation with Macron.

Erdogan expressed his discomfort about baseless statements on the counter-terror operation during the conversation, according to a Turkish presidential source.

In February, Macron said the a 30-day UN cease-fire adopted in Syria also applied to Turkey's Afrin operation. The French leader had also warned Turkey against using the operation as an "excuse to invade Syria".

Turkey on Jan. 20 launched Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, northwestern Syria, to clear it from YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists.