U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday hailed a deal that the United States signed with Taliban insurgents and said he would personally meet with leaders of the group in the near future.
This report produced by Jonah Green.
(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "There hasn't been a moment like this.
We've had very successful negotiations.
We think they'll be successful in the end.
The other side is tired of war.
Everybody is tired of war...I'll be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not-too-distant future.
And we'll be very much hoping that they will be doing what they say they are going to be doing.
They will be killing terrorists." At a press conference at the White House, Trump said Afghanistan's neighbors should help maintain stability following the agreement, which could pave the way toward a full withdrawal of foreign soldiers from Afghanistan and represent a step toward ending the country's 18-year war.
(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: And whether it's Pakistan or Iran or lots of other places, including Russia, they can all work on this.
We've been doing it for nations that are surrounding Afghanistan.
Now it's time for us to start coming home." Many expect the forthcoming talks between the Afghan sides to be more complicated than the initial deal.
(SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SAYING: "If bad things happen, we'll go back.
Let the people know.
We'll go back, and we'll go back so fast and we'll go back with a force like nobody has ever seen."
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