Macron to visit Greek Cyprus as France deploys warships to Mediterranean

PARIS

President Emmanuel Macron will visit Greek Cyprus on March 9, his office said, as France deploys warships to the Mediterranean following a drone attack on the island EU member days ago.

Greek Cyprus, in the southern part of the ethnically-divided island, has been directly affected by retaliatory attacks following the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, with an Iranian-made drone hitting a British base on the island on March 2.

The incident lead Macron to order France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean and a frigate and air defence units to  Greek Cyprus.

Macron will meet Greek Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paphos to show "solidarity" and detail moves to "strengthen security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean," the Elysee said on March 8.

The visit will take place as the war pitting U.S. and Israel against Iran is in its second week, affecting much of the Middle East.

"This trip is intended to demonstrate France's solidarity with Cyprus, a member state of the European Union with which we have a strategic partnership" and which was recently hit "by several drones and missile strikes," the Elysee said.

France has insisted its stance in the region is "strictly defensive."

The visit to Greek Cyprus will also allow Macron "to emphasise the importance of guaranteeing freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, in particular through the European Union's Aspides maritime operation," it added.

There have been numerous attacks on ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint in the Gulf, since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran started on Feb. 28.

Türkiye is also considering the possibility of sending F-16 fighter jets to Turkish Cyprus in the north of the island as a security measure, a Turkish Defense Ministry source said on March 7