U.S. President Donald Trump said he will make a “major announcement” on Syria on Thursday, though he did not disclose details.
Responding to a reporter’s question at the White House, Trump explained: “I lifted the sanctions to give them some breathing space because those sanctions were very tough, but I believe we will have a major announcement today.”
The comments come ahead of Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where the two leaders are expected to discuss sanctions on Türkiye’s defence industry. The measures were imposed after Ankara purchased Russian S-400 missile systems in 2019, which Washington considered incompatible with NATO equipment.
Trump hinted that sanctions could soon be lifted if the talks prove successful. He praised Türkiye’s increased defence spending within NATO, saying: “They’re paying now 5% of GDP. Nobody thought that was possible … The relationship is very good. The NATO countries, I mean, with us, is the strongest it’s ever been.”
Erdoğan, who hopes for a reset in ties with Washington, is banking on his personal rapport with Trump and the U.S. president’s softer approach toward Moscow. This marks a sharp departure from former president Joe Biden’s policy of keeping Ankara at a distance over its ties to Russia. Both sides also share new common ground in Syria, where they now support the central government after years of disagreements.
Still, unresolved disputes remain. Ankara has condemned Israeli strikes in Gaza as “genocide,” a position opposed by Washington, raising uncertainty about how far cooperation can extend. Meanwhile, critics in both countries warn that Trump and Erdoğan’s increasingly personalised and transactional style of diplomacy risks overshadowing long-term strategic concerns.
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The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
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