Berlin, Germany. Germany said it will not send additional military support to Cyprus despite rising security concerns in the eastern Mediterranean, citing its defence commitments on Nato’s eastern flank. Berlin said assistance to the island is being handled by other European partners.
Defence ministry position
German defence ministry spokeswoman Natalie Jenning said on Friday that Berlin is not planning any new military contributions to Cyprus or the surrounding region. She said decisions are made in coordination with allies and in line with existing strategic commitments.
“Germany is not currently planning any additional military contributions beyond the existing ones,” Jennings said, adding that allied coordination requires consideration of the overall security picture.
Jenning said Germany’s focus remains on Nato defence missions in eastern Europe. “The fact that there is a new hotspot does not mean that the existing ones are no longer valid or becoming less important,” she said. “Therefore, the German focus remains on our contributions on the eastern front.”
Current Nato deployments
German forces are deployed in Nato defence initiatives in countries including Poland, Romania and Lithuania as part of deterrence measures following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Framework for support to Cyprus
Foreign ministry spokesman Martin Giese said Cyprus is not a member of Nato and therefore cannot receive support through the alliance’s collective defence arrangements. He added that any security assistance would instead fall under Article 42 of the European Union treaty, which includes a mutual assistance clause between EU member states.
What do you think Germany’s decision could mean for security cooperation involving Cyprus?
