Italy's Draghi accuses Erdogan of humiliating EU's von der Leyen

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi accused Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan of humiliating European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this week, and said it was important to be frank with "dictators". I think it was not appropriate behaviour and I was very sorry for the humiliation von der Leyen had to suffer," Draghi told reporters.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi accused Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan of humiliating European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this week, and said it was important to be frank with "dictators". Von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel met Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday. The Commission chief was clearly taken aback when the two men sat on the only two chairs prepared, relegating her to an adjacent sofa.

"I absolutely do not agree with Erdogan's behaviour towards President von der Leyen ... I think it was not appropriate behaviour and I was very sorry for the humiliation von der Leyen had to suffer," Draghi told reporters. "With these, let's call them what they are, dictators, with whom one nonetheless has to coordinate, one has to be frank when expressing different visions and opinions," he added.

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