President Nikos Christodoulides and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, have met at the Élysée Palace as part of the Cyprus President's official visit to France to sign a Strategic Partnership Agreement in Paris, focusing on defence, the economy, and European coordination.
The visit comes a few weeks before Cyprus assumes the six-month rotating Presidency of the EU Council.
President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides said that the days marks a historic day in the relations between Cyprus and France as the leaders of the two countries signed in Paris a Strategic Partnership Agreement.
In statements at the Élysée Palace after his meeting with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, President Christodoulides said that France is a strategic partner of Cyprus and that the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreement further strengthens the relations between the two countries.
The French President described the Agreement as important and thanked Cyprus for its contribution last June for evacuating French citizens from the region.
Macron also expressed France's support for the solution of the Cyprus problem on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions.
Referring to the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, he said that Nicosia can count on France's support.
President Christodoulides thanked the French President for his country's support for the Cyprus problem and said that they discussed the role of France as the only EU country that is also a member of the UN Security Council.
He also spoke about France's support for Cyprus regarding its accession to the Schengen Area in 2026.
The agenda of the meeting included, among other topics, regional issues, as well as Ukraine.
President Christodoulides is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Constantinos Kombos, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis and Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna, as well as other officials.
According to an earlier written statement by the Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the two leaders were due to discuss the priorities of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU for the first half of 2026, as well as important international and regional issues, in the context of common European positions and the need to maintain the unity and resilience of the Union.
The central focus of the visit, though, will be the signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement between Cyprus and France, which aims to strengthen and structure bilateral relations and upgrade them institutionally, with a specific framework for cooperation, particularly in the areas of defence, the economy, cultural cooperation, innovation, and education, as well as strengthening coordination on European and international issues.
(Sources: CNA, PIO)
