Cypriot and French presidents meet in Paris for EU Council Presidency exhibitions

On February 10, 2026, President Nikos Christodoulides inaugurated two exhibitions in Paris to mark the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. The events took place at the Louvre Museum and the National Library of France, attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron. At the Louvre, the "Cyprus at the Louvre" exhibition features 16 ancient artifacts on loan from Cyprus, including picrolite figures and clay idols, displayed in rooms 300 and 316 until June 22, 2026. Key officials present included Cypriot ministers Marilena Raouna and Vasiliki Kassianidou, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati, and UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany. On the sidelines, Christodoulides and Macron held a private meeting to discuss the Strategic Cooperation Framework signed in December 2025. They reaffirmed France's support for Cyprus's full entry into the Schengen Zone and discussed European strategic autonomy and competitiveness. The leaders also coordinated positions ahead of the informal EU summit scheduled for February 12 at Alden Biesen Castle in Belgium.