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UK Media Criticizes Macron's Cyprus Visit, Highlighting UK's Absence

Published March 9, 2026, 17:08
UK Media Criticizes Macron's Cyprus Visit, Highlighting UK's Absence

Emmanuel Macron's visit to Cyprus and the announcement of increased French military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean have drawn commentary from British media. The Daily Mail described the warm embrace between President Christodoulides and Macron as a "hug that shamed Starmer," emphasizing the simultaneous absence of the British leader and the Royal Navy from the region, despite the ongoing threats faced by Cyprus. The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is heading to Cyprus with the participation of ships from other European countries, while the British destroyer HMS Dragon remains in Portsmouth. This move is interpreted as a sign of European solidarity with Cyprus, while the British side appears to be delaying the deployment of military forces to the area.