Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides spoke out against Turkey’s recent deployment of six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to the island’s occupied regions.

In his statement on Monday, Christodoulides emphasized that “whatever actions Turkey takes, it will not cease to be an occupying power in Cyprus.” He highlighted that the move appears to be a reaction to recent messages from Europe and EU member states affirming that Cyprus’s security is a shared responsibility of the European Union.

The president also reminded that a significant Turkish military presence and equipment already exist in the occupied territories, underscoring the ongoing challenges to Cyprus’s sovereignty.

Christodoulides’s remarks reinforce the island nation’s long-standing position that Turkey’s military actions, including the recent F-16 deployment, further entrench occupation rather than altering the geopolitical reality.