According to a written statement issued by the Elysee Palace, Emmanuel Macron and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call.

The French President stressed the “importance of the strategic partnership with Turkey” in the talk and expressed his concerns regarding the Turkish invasion in Afrin.

According to the statement, Macron spoke about “France’s concerns since the Turkish military intervention started in the Afrin Canton, the necessity of full access to humanitarian aid for the civilian population and the need to prioritize the fight against ISIS, which is a matter of national security for France.”

Macron pointed out that “the situation has significantly deteriorated with interventions from Russia, Iran and Turkey,” and called on all actors in the field to comply with the ceasefire and build a permanent political solution without delay.

Macron demanded a deep and intense exchange of views with Turkey on this matter, and stated that they will continue with the extensive dialogue with Turkey regarding Cyprus and tensions in the Aegean Sea.