Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus and Greece stand united and will “always be part of the solution” amid ongoing regional tensions, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday after meeting Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias at the presidential palace. Dendias reaffirmed that Greece will continue to support Cyprus.
Cyprus-Greece talks in Nicosia
Christodoulides met Dendias, chief of the Hellenic National Defence staff general Dimitrios Choupis, and Cyprus Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas at the presidential palace to discuss developments in the region after missiles were fired by the United States, Israel and Iran.
After the meeting between Christodoulides and Dendias, the Greek minister was set to meet Palmas.
Greek military assets sent to Cyprus
On Monday evening, four Greek F-16 fighter jets and one C-130 military aircraft arrived in Cyprus, while two frigates, the Psara and the Kimon, were on the way to the island to bolster its defence infrastructure. They were sent after a Hezbollah-launched drone struck the Akrotiri air base.
EU coordination and diplomatic contacts
Christodoulides said Greece was “present once again,” calling it a move of substantial and symbolic importance that “paves the way for the European Union.”
He said he had spoken with the French president and received a response, and that he was in contact with the Chancellor of Germany and the Prime Minister of Italy, adding that Greece’s actions showed how the European Union should respond.
Statements of support and joint stance
Christodoulides thanked Greece for its “immediate response to our request, at a difficult time for the Republic of Cyprus,” and said bilateral efforts offered “many opportunities that can be exploited through the cooperation.”
He said Cyprus and Greece show in practice they are not part of the problem, adding: “We are always part of the solution and we will face this difficult situation together, hoping that normal conditions will soon prevail in our region.”
Dendias said Greece would always stand by Cyprus and described the situation as difficult for the wider region. He said Greece intended, within its powers and capabilities, to provide help to Cyprus, the Cypriot people, and all legal residents of the Republic of Cyprus.
What do you think the European Union’s next steps should be in response to the regional tensions?