Turkey's Foreign Ministry Condemns Macron's Statement on Upcoming Elections in France

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned French President Emmanuel Macron for his remarks regarding Ankara's alleged interference in the upcoming presidential elections in France, as reported by Ahval.

The ministry deemed the French president's statements as "unacceptable and contrary to the friendship and alliance between the countries." It noted that Macron's recent comments hinder Ankara's attempts at normalizing relations: "We believe that Macron's statements are unfortunate and contradictory, especially when we are making efforts toward alleviating tensions with a sense of calm and friendship."

As previously reported, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his concerns during an interview with France 5 television, stating that Turkey might attempt to influence the forthcoming elections in the country. "The threats are not hidden, so I think we need to be very transparent," Macron stated.

In the same interview, he also mentioned that France considers Turkey an important partner in Europe regarding security and migration and noted signs from the Turkish leadership indicating a willingness to normalize relations. According to him, Turkey is a NATO ally but its position within the alliance needs to be "clarified."