Leaders of France, Greece, and Cyprus meet in Paphos to discuss regional security

On March 9, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides held a trilateral meeting at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos. The summit focused on regional stability and maritime security following a drone strike on the RAF Akrotiri base on March 2. President Macron declared that an attack on Cyprus is an attack on Europe and confirmed the deployment of eight French frigates and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean and Red Sea. Prime Minister Mitsotakis visited Greek F-16 pilots and, alongside President Christodoulides, toured the Greek frigate Kimon to signal military solidarity. The leaders emphasized that their nations are not combatants but are committed to the EU naval mission Aspides to protect freedom of navigation. Following the summit, Macron traveled to Souda, Greece, to visit the Charles de Gaulle. Officials stated that this cooperation aims to prevent escalation in the Middle East and safeguard regional interests.