Macron to visit Cyprus amid Middle East escalation

Moscow – French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Cyprus on Monday, 9 March, more than a week after the United Kingdom’s base on the island was hit by a drone attack amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Sunday, 8 March, citing the Élysée Palace.

During the visit, Macron is expected to meet Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The leaders are reported to discuss strengthening security around Cyprus and the eastern Mediterranean to push for de-escalation in the region.

Earlier this week, Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the drone attack caused light damage to the UK’s Akrotiri air base.

The United Kingdom, along with France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Greece, announced additional troop deployments to Cyprus.

On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes on several targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties.

Iran then retaliated by attacking areas of Israel as well as US military facilities in the Middle East as a self-defence measure.

The United States and Israel initially stated that the strikes were preventive measures needed to address a perceived threat stemming from Iran’s nuclear programme. However, both sides later also said they wanted to see a change of power in Iran.