NICOSIA, Cyprus — June 08, 2026 : Cyprus and Greece have accused Turkey of interfering with aircraft carrying European defense ministers as they arrived in Cyprus for an informal European Union defense ministers’ meeting hosted under the Cypriot EU Council Presidency.
According to Cypriot authorities, aircraft transporting Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin, and members of the Dutch defense delegation experienced radio interference while approaching Cyprus on June 7. Officials said the interference originated from the control tower at Ercan (Tymbou) Airport in the Turkish-controlled northern part of the island, affecting communications with air traffic control in Larnaca.
Cypriot authorities also reported that two Turkish F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from northern Cyprus and shadowed the aircraft carrying Dendias from a distance before all delegations landed safely at Larnaca International Airport.
Cyprus and Greece Condemn Incident
The Republic of Cyprus condemned the reported actions, with Presidential Press Office Director Victor Papadopoulos stating that the defense ministries of Greece, France, and the Netherlands had reported the interference. He said Cyprus considers the actions illegal and intends to raise the matter through international channels.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides described the incident as unacceptable and said there was no justification for such actions. Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas is expected to brief EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and other European counterparts during the meeting.
In Greece, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis also condemned the incident, stating that any behavior inconsistent with international law could not be tolerated.
Turkey Rejects Allegations
Turkey denied the accusations, describing reports of harassment and airspace violations as false.
In a statement, Türkiye’s Directorate of Communications said six aircraft were operating on routes between Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration on June 7 and claimed that four of them violated the airspace of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
According to Ankara, two Turkish F-16s stationed in northern Cyprus were scrambled as a precautionary measure. Turkish authorities stated that the jets remained within TRNC airspace, did not enter the airspace of the Republic of Cyprus, and did not harass any aircraft carrying European officials.
Turkish Cypriot air traffic controllers also rejected the allegations, saying the fighter jets took off in response to an emergency and did not violate any airspace boundaries.
Incident Occurs Ahead of Key EU Defense Meeting
The incident took place ahead of the informal EU Foreign Affairs Council (Defense) meeting in Nicosia, where ministers are discussing European defense readiness, support for Ukraine, crisis response coordination, and maritime security.
The diplomatic dispute comes amid longstanding tensions between Cyprus and Turkey over the island’s division and competing interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. It also coincides with Cyprus preparing to sign a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with France, a defense cooperation pact expected to strengthen military ties between the two countries.
Cypriot authorities said they will submit formal complaints to relevant international bodies, while EU officials are expected to review the matter during the summit discussions.
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