President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the release of US missionary Andrew Brunson, imprisoned by order of the Turkish justice, is a "tremendous step" in improving relations with Ankara and said he will take a "look" at the sanctions on Turkey.
"This is a tremendous step to have the kind of relationship with Turkey that we want to have," said Trump, who received Brunson and his family at the White House on Saturday.
The president again thanked his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the "help" to free Brunson, acknowledged that it should not have been "easy" for him and, asked about the possibility of easing sanctions on Turkey, announced that his Government will take "a look".
Trump insisted, however, that "there was no agreement" with the Turkish authorities to secure Brunson's release, after some US media reported that Washington had pledged to lift the sanctions he imposed on Ankara in August. in relation to the case.