French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus on Monday to demonstrate support for the European Union member state following a recent drone strike on the British air base at RAF Akrotiri.
During the trip, Macron will meet Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides as well as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to the French presidency.
According to Greek government sources, the Greek PM will travel to Cyprus on Monday amid Greece’s ongoing defense cooperation with the island.
France to signal support for Cyprus
The visit will come days after Cyprus was targeted by a drone strike near the British RAF base on the island. In response, France sent defense systems and a frigate to Cyprus last week, reinforcing its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Elysee Palace said Macron’s trip will aim to demonstrate France’s “solidarity” with Cyprus and strengthen security cooperation with European partners in the region.
Defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean
Macron said last week that France’s military presence near Cyprus would be strictly defensive.
According to the French presidency, the deployment will support regional allies and help maintain stability in a strategically sensitive area.
