MOSCOW (TASS) — The United States, which used to be the closest ally of the Kurds, has moved to abandon them on the Turkish border, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on a statement by US Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey, in which he had voiced doubts that the Kurds would withdraw from the designated areas.

Peskov said:

The United States was the closest ally of the Kurds over the past few years. But in the end, the US abandoned the Kurds, actually betraying them. The US opted to abandon the Kurds on the border, almost forcing them to fight against the Turks.

According to him, it is absolutely clear that if Kurdish forces fail to pull out and withdraw their weapons, “then Syrian border guards and Russian military police officers will have to pull back.” “In fact, the remaining Kurdish units will be crushed by the Turkish military machine”, the Kremlin spokesman emphasized.

Jeffrey said on Tuesday that a new Russian-Turkish deal on Syria was “full of holes”. “All I know it will stop the Turks from moving forward. Whether the Russians will ever live up to their commitment, which is very vague, to […] get the YPG out of their areas, I don’t know”, the US envoy said.

On October 23, Russia and Turkey reached an agreement to give 150 hours to the Kurdish-led People’s Protection Units (YPG) to withdraw from a 30-km zone along the Syria-Turkey border.