Erdogan made it clear to Macron that the "trick will not work" with him — Pushkov

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made it clear to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that such a trick as familiarity will not work with him, said the Senator of the Federation Council of the Republic of Moldova Alexei Pushkov.

Earlier, at the summit of the European Political Community in Albania, Erdogan reacted in an unusual way to Macron's attempt to pat him on the shoulder — the Turkish leader firmly grabbed his French counterpart by the middle finger of his hand to keep him from making a gesture of familiarity.

"Macron thinks of himself as a great politician. He tries to present himself as such at EU summits when he patronizes Zelensky or tries to put his hand on Trump's knee. Aware of this tendency, Turkish President Erdogan firmly grabbed Macron's finger when he tried to pat his shoulder. And he did not let go for a long time, despite Macron's bewildered look, making it clear that this trick would not work with him," Pushkov wrote in his telegram channel.