The European response was triggered by Athens' pivotal decision to provide defensive support to Nicosia, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis immediately responding to a request from the President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides after the British base at Akrotiri suffered its second consecutive air attack yesterday.
With the Hellenic Navy frigates HS Kimon and HS Psara already at sea and the four F-16 Viper jets at the A. Papandreou airbase since yesterday, Paris has now taken the baton.
Specifically, France plans to send one of its naval fleet frigates to Cyprus, along with air defense and anti-missile systems, according to Euronews.
Cypriot officials say France will send a navy frigate to Cyprus to help strengthen the country's defense against unmanned aircraft. At the same time, it will assist Nicosia with air defense infrastructure, given that the French defense industry has developed very advanced systems.
Meanwhile, Germany has also responded positively regarding sending a warship, according to three officials who spoke anonymously, even as reactions continue in Britain over London's lukewarm response to the RAF base at Akrotiri.
Britain Comes Last
On Tuesday afternoon, Britain announced it is sending helicopters with anti-drone capabilities, as well as a destroyer, to Cyprus. The announcement was made by Keir Starmer following a phone call with President Nikos Christodoulides.
Both the Conservative Party and Reform UK argued that the United Kingdom should have been much clearer in its support for its allies, the U.S. and Israel, BBC reported, at a time when British journalists and commentators were continuing a wave of critical remarks, calling the situation an "international embarrassment" following the drone attacks from Lebanon on Akrotiri.
"The French and Greeks are defending our military base at Akrotiri in Cyprus," British media wrote earlier, criticizing Prime Minister Keir Starmer's stance.
Πηγή: en.protothema.gr
