President lauds Cyprus-France defense partnership before July 14 parade
Cyprus's president praised his nation's military and defense ties with France as Cypriot troops prepared to march in Paris's Bastille Day parade for the first time.
President Nikos Christodoulides travelled to the French capital at the personal invitation of Emmanuel Macron to attend the July 14 commemorations. On Monday, ahead of Tuesday’s military parade along the Champs-Élysées, Christodoulides visited Cypriot National Guard personnel at the Paris military base where they were stationed, according to Cyprus Mail.
Speaking to the elite Cypriot unit, Christodoulides emphasised the considerable symbolic weight of the invitation for Cypriot forces to march under their national flag before assembled heads of state and government at one of Europe’s most prominent military events.
The appearance signals the strength of strategic ties between Nicosia and Paris, with the Cypriot president noting that bilateral relations have reached an unprecedented level. This partnership has been particularly visible in recent years as Cyprus has sought to strengthen its defensive posture in the eastern Mediterranean.
Strategic Defence Partnership Deepens
Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, commander of the National Guard, accompanied the president during the visit. Christodoulides congratulated the service members representing the Republic of Cyprus in the parade and acknowledged the distinguished service of National Guard personnel deployed in international missions and multinational formations.
The president reiterated his administration’s commitment to continuing enhancement of the Republic’s defence capabilities, a priority given ongoing security challenges facing the divided island nation.
Cyprus has been partitioned since Turkey’s 1974 invasion established the Turkish Pseudostate in Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Constantinople. The Republic of Cyprus maintains control over the southern two-thirds of the island and has cultivated security partnerships with France, Greece, and other regional powers as a counterbalance to persistent Turkish military presence in the occupied territories.
With information from Cyprus Mail
