Emmanuel Macron Advises Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Speak Respectfully

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that "Macron is a burden for France, hoping that the country in difficulty will soon be able to free itself from him." French President Emmanuel Macron has advised his Turkish counterpart to speak respectfully and not to set a bad example for the public.

"I never respond to personal attacks, and that’s our (Macron’s and Erdoğan’s) difference. I believe in respect. I think our societies are becoming increasingly violent as leaders set examples of violence. And I also believe that verbal sparring between political leaders is not the right way to move forward," Macron said in an interview with the media.

Relations between the two NATO member countries have sharply deteriorated in recent months due to a number of disagreements, including Turkey's actions regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.