France and Cyprus to Sign Agreement on Military Presence (SOFA)

Today, on 8 June 2026, in Nicosia, France and Cyprus will sign a status of forces agreement (SOFA). The document, which enshrines Paris's right to station troops on the island, will be signed by French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin and Cypriot Minister of Defence Vasilis Palmas during an informal meeting of EU defence ministers.
The agreement is aimed at developing logistical cooperation, joint exercises and the presence of French forces for humanitarian purposes. The initiative followed the strategic partnership formalised by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Nikos Christodoulides in December 2025, and the response to rising tensions in the region in March 2026.
The plans have drawn sharp protest from Ankara and the Turkish Cypriot side. Prime Minister Ünal Üstel called the agreement “dangerous and provocative,” saying that any military presence requires the consent of the Turkish Cypriot people. Turkish AK Party spokesperson Ömer Çelik also urged Paris to abandon these approaches. The signing of the SOFA cements Cyprus's new role as a foothold for European military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.