Since 2014, the number of maritime incidents between Turkey and its Greek and Cypriot neighbors has steadily increased. In 2020, at the height of the crisis, Greece obtained the unconditional support of French President Emmanuel Macron, who sought to portray himself as the defender of European sovereignty by adopting a confrontational stance towards Turkey. 

France-Greece relations have only grown stronger since then, with a defense partnership between the two countries being signed in September 2021. Beyond the secular friendship that unites France and Greece, what is the strategic ambition of this new partnership? Can it be considered a Hellenic alliance from which Cyprus stands to benefit? How does Turkey perceive these developments on the borders of its “Blue Homeland”?

Geopolitical Cyprus co-founder, Zenonas Tziarras, participated in a debate on this matter organized by the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI). You can find the online discussion below.