By Samy Adghirni
Mar 5, 2026 (Bloomberg) –France has reached out to the governments of Italy and Greece to coordinate efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean as tensions over the war in Iran flare, a person close to French President Emmanuel Macron said.
Macron on Thursday morning held separate calls with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a spirit of European solidarity, the person added on condition of anonymity.
The three leaders agreed to coordinate any military shipments to Cyprus and to work together to guarantee navigation freedom in the Red Sea.
A British air base in Cyprus was hit by a drone strike late Sunday, marking the first attack on European territory. While UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that bases in Cyprus were not being used by US bombers, more drones headed in their direction were intercepted, according to the Cypriot government.
Macron on Tuesday said he would send an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean to help secure maritime routes and ensure Europe’s economic interests in the region.
The move followed a jump in energy prices as the US and Israel wage their war on Iran, pressuring markets already grappling with low supplies.
Read More: Macron to Deploy Aircraft Carrier to Shield Mideast Shipping
© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.
This article contains reporting from Bloomberg, published under license.
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