Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned against any developments that could undermine the interests of Türkiye or Turkish Cypriots following a new defence cooperation agreement between France and Cyprus.
Speaking on Wednesday (10 June), Erdoğan said he saw “an attempt to ignite a fire of discord in the Mediterranean, especially on the island of Cyprus” after the agreement was signed by French President Emmanuel Macron and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
He added that if “the rights and laws of Türkiye and Turkish Cypriots are threatened in the Eastern Mediterranean, our response will be very clear and very harsh.”
The agreement aims to deepen Franco-Cypriot defence ties. Christodoulides said it would strengthen bilateral cooperation and contribute to greater European strategic autonomy. Macron has previously stated that France and Cyprus are building a framework to host French forces for humanitarian operations across the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.
Cyprus has remained divided since 1974 between the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognised only by Türkiye. The latest agreement comes amid continued security concerns and competing strategic interests across the Eastern Mediterranean.
ℹ️ LeMonde
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