Cyprus holds naval drill with France, Italy, Greece

The Cypriot president said Thursday that the ongoing joint military maneuvers with three other European Union member states in the Eastern Mediterranean underscore the bloc’s readiness to ensure security and stability in the region.

According to AP, President Nikos Christodoulides said that the drill with France, Italy and Greece is of “particular geostrategic significance” for the 27-member bloc and others, including the United States.

Christodoulides said his government is putting a “special emphasis” on upgrading the island’s military installations in order to take full advantage of its geographical location at the southeasternmost corner of Europe and close to the Middle East and Africa.

He spoke ahead of a visit to the French frigate Chevalier Paul, which is taking part in the drill, and stressed that the show of strength is not turned against any other country — a veiled allusion to Turkiye. , with which Cyprus shares a violent past.