Cyprus receives first tranche of EU defense funding and joins Bastille Day parade

Cyprus has received its first €177 million tranche of funding under the EU’s SAFE defense program. The overall funding package totals €1.18 billion and is intended for use by 2030 to procure battle tanks, aircraft, drones, anti-drone systems, and munitions. Reports indicate that 80% of the equipment procured through this scheme will be supplied by France. As the first phase of implementation, the National Guard will receive new communications systems. Strengthening bilateral military ties, President Nikos Christodoulides is visiting Paris at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Bastille Day military parade on July 14. A contingent of 20 members of the Cypriot National Guard is participating in the parade, marking the largest deployment for such an event to date. National Guard Chief Emmanouil Theodorou accompanied the President to France for the occasion. This event underscores the long-standing defense cooperation between Cyprus and France dating back to the 1990s.