Turkey warns France over Cyprus troop deployment: What to know |
Turkey warns France over Cyprus troop deployment: What to know
A potential French deployment to Greek Cyprus comes amid Turkey’s growing concerns of strategic encirclement in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Ezgi Akin
Apr 30, 2026
British members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus patrol the buffer zone separating the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the divided capital Nicosia on Feb. 17, 2026. — Jewel SAMAD / AFP via Getty Images
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ANKARA — Turkey pushed back on Thursday against France’s plan to deploy troops to Cyprus, warning it risks destabilizing the island and upsetting the existing security balance.
Turkey warns of escalation: “Such moves risk upsetting the existing delicate balance and heightening tensions on the island,” a Turkish Defense Ministry official told journalists in Ankara at a press briefing.
The statement came in response to Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides saying on Sunday that France would be able to deploy troops to the Republic of Cyprus.
“We reiterate........