Macron underscored that attacks on Cyprus are attacks on all of Europe, arriving in Paphos to meet regional leaders and review security deployments.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday warned that assaults on Cyprus are assaults on the European Union as a whole, arriving on the island to coordinate regional security following drone attacks attributed to Iranian-built systems. Macron met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Paphos military airport to discuss defense measures in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The visit follows the deployment of French military assets, including the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, a frigate, and air defense units to Cyprus. The Elysee declared the deployment aims to “bolster the military assets already present in the region in order to take the necessary measures to ensure the security of France, its citizens, and its bases, as well as that of its allies in the region.”
Macron was scheduled to visit the Charles de Gaulle later on Monday, which is stationed off the coast of Crete. Once aboard, he was to meet with the sailors serving in the carrier strike group. The Elysee declared the visit intconcludes to demonstrate “solidarity” and outline measures to “strengthen security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean.”
A government spokesman for Cyprus, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, declared the trip will allow the leaders of Cyprus, Greece, and France to assess the “high level of coordination” between their nations. The meetings included evaluations of defense readiness, deployment logistics, and operational planning in response to regional threats.
The drone attacks on Cyprus last week prompted Macron to order the deployment of France’s Charles de Gaulle carrier to the Mediterranean, alongside a frigate and air defense units. France has emphasized that its stance in the region is “strictly defensive,” according to the Elysee.
Macron also discussed broader regional security during conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning, as well as with U.S. and Iranian officials on Sunday. The Elysee declared these discussions addressed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and hostilities in Lebanon.
During his Cyprus visit, Macron was expected to cover freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, waterways that have experienced repeated attacks since U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran launched on February 28. A French frigate is currently participating in the EU’s “Operation Aspides,” launched in 2024 to prevent attacks on trade vessels by Iran-backed Houthi forces in the Red Sea.
The Elysee described the carrier’s deployment as part of wider European security efforts, aimed at supporting allies, protecting strategic shipping routes, and providing rapid response capability in the event of further attacks in the Eastern Mediterranean. Officials emphasized that these measures align with international law and EU defense commitments.
Macron’s discussions with Cypriot and Greek leaders included operational coordination, communications, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that deployed military assets are integrated with national and regional defense systems. The Elysee stressed that the visit is intconcludeed to reinforce European solidarity and regional deterrence.
French authorities noted that the deployment is preventive, designed to safeguard civilians, military bases, and European citizens in the region following drone strikes on EU territory. Macron’s visit also involved consultations on operational readiness, including air defense, maritime surveillance, and rapid intervention capabilities of the Charles de Gaulle strike group.
The Elysee declared the trip allows for assessment of joint military preparedness and reinforcement of European defense coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean, reflecting France’s engagement with regional allies after attacks on Cyprus. Macron emphasized that threats to an EU member state constitute a broader European security concern.
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