Tensions between Turkey and France renewed on Thursday as French President Emmanuel Macron refused to "impose" Turkey's operation in northern Syria as a "fait accompli" and accused Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Macron as a supporter of terrorism.
"He is already the sponsor of the terrorist organization (the YPG) and is constantly hosting them at the Elysee Palace. If he says his ally is the terrorist organization ... there is nothing more to say already," Gavishoglu told reporters in parliament on Thursday.
"There is a vacuum in Europe right now that Macron is trying to use to become the continent's leader, but leadership is a natural matter."
He called on the Turkish minister Macron to realize that Turkey is an ally in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and that he should stand by the allies.
The comments came hours after Macron said that Turkey should not expect the solidarity of its NATO allies with it when it launches its "spring of peace" operation in northern Syria "as a fait accompli", saying that the operation hindered the work of the international coalition against the Islamic State and threatened allies. .
Last month, Macron received Jihan Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the "Syrian Democratic Forces," controlled by Kurdish units, to express France's solidarity with those forces.
This tension between Turkey and France is expected to affect the NATO summit in London next week, which coincides with its 70th anniversary.
Earlier this week, Reuters quoted a Turkish source as saying that his country refuses to support NATO's defense plan for the Baltic states and Poland unless it receives political support for its operation against Kurdish units.