Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu dismissed French President Emmanuel Macron's critique of Turkey's offensive in Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia Thursday, saying the French leader sponsors terrorism.
"He is already the sponsor of the terrorist organisation and constantly hosts them at the Elysee. If he says his ally is the terrorist organisation...there is really nothing more to say," Cavusoglu told reporters in parliament.
Ankara considers the YPG a terrorist organisation and launched its offensive in northeast Syria on Oct. 9.
Last month, Macron met with Jihane Ahmed, the spokeswoman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), of which the YPG is a big part, to express France's solidarity with them in their fight against Islamic State in Syria.
Earlier Thursday, Macron said that Turkey cannot expect solidarity from NATO allies at the same time that it launched its Syria offensive as a "fait accompli."
Cavusoglu added: "Macron cannot be the leader of Europe by wobbling like this. Right now, there is a void in Europe, he is trying to be its leader."
Reuters
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