The prospect of Turkey joining the European Union as a fully-fledged member is "hypocrisy", according to President Emmanuel Macron of France, who added that progress on the application was not possible given human rights concerns.

Mr Macron's remarks came during a tense press conference with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the French leader warned against flouting the rule of law and freedom of expression while his counterpart accused some writers and journalists of acting as "the gardeners" of terrorism.

During the exchange, the authoritarian Turkish leader, who ordered the arrest of up 55,000 security force members, judges, academics, journalists and activists in the wake of the 2016 failed coup, said his country was "exhausted" after 54 years in the "antichambre" of the EU.

"When it comes to saying why, the EU is not really capable of giving reasons," he claimed, adding that Turkey is currently blocked on 35 "chapters", or policy areas, of the negotiations.

"This is seriously exhausting us and seriously exhausting our nation. Maybe this will force us to take a decision," he said, without specifying what that might be. Mr Erdogan said in October that Turkey no longer needs to join the European Union but added that "we will not be the side which gives up" on accession talks.