Macron told reporters at a military base in Cyprus that he discussed the potential mission with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Nikos Christodoulides.
Macron’s visit to Cyprus Monday comes after the island suffered drone attacks last week following the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that plunged the region into conflict.
“When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked,” Macron said as he pledged to uphold Franco-Cypriot defense agreements. France has already sent air defenses to Cyprus and deployed its only aircraft carrier to the region.
Macron said France was looking to “take a strictly defensive stance alongside all countries that are under attack from Iran” and “contribute to regional deescalation.”
Cyprus’ Christodoulides also said that Nicosia would not engage in any military operations but would instead focus on a humanitarian role. Mitsotakis said “freedom of navigation” was “under attack” and said Europe should prepare to “deal with other asymmetric threats, such as large migration flows.”
Nektaria Stamouli contributed to this report.
