Russian satellite news agency quoted Italian media on the 11th as saying that the Italian Prime Minister recently attacked Turkish President Erdoğan: Turkey did not prepare similar seats for the President of the European Commission during the meeting with two senior EU officials. Turkey has frozen purchases from the Italian Leonardo Company to express dissatisfaction with Italian remarks. Helicopter trade worth 70 million euros.
Video of Turkish officials “hosting” two EU leaders with a chair has recently spread widely on social media. When asked by media reporters on the 8th, Italian Prime Minister Draghi criticized the Turkish practices in fierce words and complained about Feng der Leyen’s “humiliation”.
Draghi’s remarks triggered Turkish dissatisfaction. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently summoned the Italian ambassador. Turkish Foreign Minister Chavushoğlu also publicly counterattacked Draghi’s remarks.
Russian satellite news agency quoted Italian media on the 11th to report that Turkey has begun to send out “threat signals” because Italy has not responded to Turkish dissatisfaction. Turkey has frozen the purchase of helicopters worth 70 million euros, or about 550 million yuan, from Italian aerospace and defense giant Leonardo.
The agreement was expected to be signed in the next few days. In addition, the Turkish government also asked the Italian government to formally apologize and said that it would not be satisfied with clarification through diplomatic channels.
Turkish President Erdoğan held talks with visiting President Michel of the European Council and European Commission President von der Leyen in the capital Ankara on the 6th. At the meeting site of the presidential palace, a chair was placed in front of the Turkish flag and the EU flag. Later, Erdoğan and Michelle took the initiative to sit in the chair, and von der Leyen had to sit on the sofa slightly farther away from them.
Turkish officials “receive” two EU leaders with a chair, causing dissatisfaction from the European Union. The U.S. media has previously reported that this practice is inconsistent with traditional diplomatic etiquette.
