In what came as a bizarre moment from Turkey's leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he can be observed awkwardly holding French President Emmanuel Macron's finger during the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana, sparking buzz online. In a viral video, Macron can be seen reaching out to the Turkish President for a handshake; however, Erdogan, in an unusual gesture, grasped the French leader's finger and kept holding it. Macron, meanwhile, tries to get his hand free as the next few seconds appeared awkward for the French President.
According to Turkish media, Macron tried to establish psychological superiority by putting his hand on President Erdogan's shoulder, and this came as a textbook reversal — a passive-aggressive counter from President Erdogan.
Lack of synergy between Turkey and France
The latest development comes as Turkey and France find themselves in rather contrasting camps, with both countries lacking synergy despite being members of NATO. The friction is palpable over issues like the expansion of NATO and their respective responses to Russia's offensive against Ukraine.
Watch the awkward handshake moment here:
While Paris has clearly stated its position and has stood up as a leading voice against Moscow, Erdogan's Turkey has maintained ambiguity by trying to broker a deal between the conflicting parties.
Moreover, Erdogan is known for punching above his weight. Despite being a NATO member, Turkey, which is not an EU member, has claimed to offer mediation on geopolitically significant events like the Russia and Ukraine conflict. Notably, Ankara has also clashed with Russia in a number of conflict zones, especially in Syria.
Turkey's show of ingratitude
Moreover, Turkey has also hogged the limelight as it extended help to Pakistan during the military conflict with India. Netizens in India are aghast over the fact that while India offered help to Turkey in the wake of the devastating 2023 earthquake, Ankara wasted no time in picking its side between New Delhi and Islamabad.
This sentiment of betrayal found voice across countless social media posts and trending hashtags like #BoycottTurkey.
Ankara seeks prominence in the Islamic world
Notably, Turkey, which aspires to claim a pivotal position in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), is known for siding with Pakistan in matters that concern India.
This is just done as a symbolic stunt, which Ankara finds instrumental in bolstering its position among Islamic nations. Ankara has also previously sided with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, which India says is its internal matter.