French President Emmanuel Macron is in Cyprus to show support and bolster defences after a drone strike heightened fears the Middle East conflict could spill onto European soil.
President Macron travelled to Cyprus on Monday, just days after dispatching a warship to the eastern Mediterranean island following a drone strike that hit a British air base on its southern coast during the ongoing Iran war.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions after a Shahed drone struck the RAF Akrotiri air base last week, marking the first drone attack of the conflict to hit European territory.
In response, Macron ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus to reinforce the island’s anti-drone and anti-missile defences. Paris has also decided to deploy ground-based systems designed to counter drones and missiles, signalling a swift effort to strengthen the island’s protection.
Macron’s trip also includes a visit to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, currently operating in the eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus. According to the French presidency, the carrier’s presence “reinforces the military means already in the region to ensure the security of France, its citizens and its bases, as well as that of its allies”.
The French leader is meeting Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Cyprus’s main air base on the island’s south-western edge, where four Greek air force F-16 fighter jets have been deployed.
In a post on X, Macron stated: "The security of all Europeans is our shared interest. We have immediately taken solidarity measures with Cyprus, which has been struck by several drones and missiles."
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European security focus
Christodoulides said the joint visit by the three leaders highlighted how Cyprus’s security has become a matter of shared responsibility for the European Union.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen such a response and I consider this to be of particular importance,” he told reporters ahead of the meeting.
The leaders are expected to review regional developments and the coordinated preventative measures taken since the drone strike.
Cypriot government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said the talks would focus on developments in the region and the close cooperation that followed Cyprus’s request for assistance. He reiterated the island’s gratitude for the swift response from European partners.
Macron has also been involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at preventing further escalation across the Middle East. On Sunday he spoke with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian and urged him to halt strikes.
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Military presence in eastern Mediterranean
The French carrier group’s arrival is part of a broader military buildup in the eastern Mediterranean, although leaders have stressed that the deployments are defensive.
Last week Macron ordered the Charles de Gaulle to move from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean after the drone strike on Cyprus, citing the need to protect allied assets.
Naval patrols around the island are already increasing. Greece has dispatched its modern Kimon and Psara frigates to waters off Cyprus’s southern coast. Warships from Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are expected in the coming days, while the British destroyer HMS Dragon will arrive next week.
Despite the growing military presence, the three leaders have emphasised that their aim is deterrence rather than escalation. Christodoulides has repeatedly stressed that Cyprus will not take part in any military operations.
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Drone attack raises concerns
The Shahed drone struck a hangar at RAF Akrotiri shortly after midnight on 2 March, causing minor damage but no injuries.
Two additional drones were intercepted later that day by British Typhoon and F-35 warplanes scrambled from the base.
Cypriot officials said the drone that reached the air base originated from Lebanon. Authorities believe it may have been launched by the Hezbollah militant group, whose arsenal includes explosive drones similar to those used by Iran.
Lebanon’s foreign minister, Youssef Rajji, condemned the attack on Sunday.
“I called on our Cypriot friends not to confuse the Lebanese state with those acting outside its authority and legal framework,” Rajji said.
The Lebanese government has since ordered its security agencies to crack down on non-state groups launching attacks from its territory as diplomatic efforts continue to prevent the conflict from spreading further.
(with newswires)
