Ankara expects US to lift sanctions after release of US pastor – spokesman

Turkey expects the United States to lift sanctions it has imposed on it after the release of US evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson, a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, according to Reuters. Ties between Ankara and Washington have been strained over a host of issues, including Brunson’s detention. The US imposed sanctions and tariffs on Ankara, prompting a currency crisis in Turkey that saw the lira currency plunge more than 40 percent this year. Brunson was released on October 12 after being held in prison and house arrest for some two years while being tried on terrorism charges, which he has denied.