France and Greece join Cyprus for Eastern Mediterranean summit

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

NICOSIA, CYPRUS — French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Cyprus on March 9 for a high-stakes trilateral summit aimed at bolstering Eastern Mediterranean security amid the widening Middle East crisis.

The visit, reported by BBC News Turkish, follows a period of heightened volatility where the island has increasingly become a focal point of regional tensions following Israeli and U.S. strikes in the Middle East. The leaders met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to demonstrate European solidarity after strategic assets on the island were targeted by drone and missile attacks over the past week. According to a statement from the French presidency on March 8, the objective of the mission is to "strengthen security around Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean with our European partners and contribute to de-escalating regional tensions."

Strengthening European solidarity in the Mediterranean

The geopolitical climate shifted significantly following the February 28 strikes by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, which led to a series of retaliatory measures spreading across the Middle East. On March 1, the British Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus was targeted by a drone attack, prompting immediate military responses from European allies.

France characterized the trip as a mission of solidarity with Cyprus, a strategic EU partner and strategic hub. President Christodoulides welcomed the support, stating that the collective European presence sends a clear message that "the security of Cyprus is the responsibility of the European Union." Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis echoed this sentiment, asserting on March 8 that "whenever European soil is threatened by external forces, our collective response will be immediate and powerful."

Military buildup and Turkey’s F-16 deployment

In response to the March 1 attack, Greece immediately deployed a frigate and fighter jets to the island, while France dispatched its own frigate. Military analysts expect the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to arrive in the Eastern Mediterranean in the coming days. Other European nations, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands, have also announced intentions to increase their military presence to support the island's defense.

This European buildup has drawn a sharp response from Ankara. The Turkish Ministry of National Defense (MSB) announced the deployment of six F-16 fighter jets and advanced air defense systems to the northern part of the island. The Turkish aircraft were expected to arrive on March 9, coinciding with the trilateral summit. President Christodoulides criticized this move, describing Turkey as an "occupying power" and arguing that the deployment of jets in the north is a direct challenge to the EU's security stance.

Diplomatic friction over "guarantor" status

The historical context of the island remains a central point of contention. Under the 1960 treaties that established the Republic of Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, and the United Kingdom are defined as the three guarantor powers. Turkey maintains that its military presence since the 1974 "Peace Operation" is within its responsibilities to protect the Turkish Cypriot community. However, the international community and the Republic of Cyprus continue to define the Turkish military presence in the north as an occupation.

The "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), established in 1983, remains recognized only by Turkey. As European powers move to integrate Cyprus more deeply into the EU's common defense framework, the friction between Ankara’s guarantor claims and Brussels' security responsibilities is expected to intensify. The summit in Nicosia serves as a critical indicator of how European leaders intend to navigate these overlapping claims while managing the immediate threats posed by the ongoing Middle East conflict.

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