Paphos, Cyprus. French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Cyprus on Monday, with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides joining them in Paphos. The visit is aimed at strengthening security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean with European partners.
Visit aims and location
The Elysee palace said the visit seeks to contribute to de-escalation in the region by strengthening security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean with European partners. It said the trip is intended to demonstrate France’s solidarity with Cyprus, an EU member state with which France has a strategic partnership, after Cyprus was struck last week by several drone and missile attacks.
The choice of Paphos comes after Greece deployed four F-16 fighter jets to the town’s aerodrome last Monday, and after both France and Greece deployed frigates to waters off Cyprus’s coast.
Naval deployments and Macron statements
Greece deployed two frigates, including the Kimon, which Mitsotakis described on Wednesday as the “pride of the Greek fleet.” France’s Languedoc frigate arrived in Cypriot waters on Wednesday.
Macron also announced that the aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle will be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, and it is believed the aircraft carrier and its strike group passed through the Strait of Gibraltar on Friday.
In a televised address on Tuesday night, Macron said France was ensuring close coordination with allies and European partners, “first and foremost” Greece, to strengthen efforts in the eastern Mediterranean. He added that France is “taking the initiative to build a coalition” to bring together resources, including military resources, to resume and secure traffic on maritime routes that he said are essential to the global economy.
Cyprus reaction
Christodoulides responded by thanking Macron for what he called concrete support provided by France to Cyprus. He said Cyprus and France are bound by a strong strategic partnership, adding that in times of crisis it is reflected in close cooperation and active solidarity, in a social media post.
What do you think the leaders’ visit to Paphos signals about regional security priorities?
