France has quietly shifted its position on selling the SAMP/T air defence system to Turkey, a move being watched closely...

France has quietly shifted its position on selling the SAMP/T air defence system to Turkey, a move being watched closely in Cyprus and Greece. Reuters reported Monday that Paris is now open to the possibility after years of political opposition, following talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on June 25. The SAMP/T, also known as the Mamba, is produced by the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium and is widely considered Europe's closest equivalent to the US Patriot system. It can track dozens of targets simultaneously, intercept multiple threats at once, and is the only European-made system that claims the ability to shoot down ballistic missiles. Turkey wants the system as part of its Steel Dome integrated air and missile defence network. The timing is significant. Cyprus and France signed a Status of Forces Agreement earlier this year, deepening defence cooperation and cementing France's strategic presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to Reuters, two sources cautioned that France would need to appease Greece and Cyprus over any potential deal, given those existing agreements. The French presidency did not confirm the report and pointed to what it called significant inaccuracies, without specifying what they were. One source familiar with the discussions told Reuters: "Before, there was a clear lack of openness, now there is openness." Ino Afentoulidis, senior policy advisor at the Hellenic Foundation for Foreign and European Policy, told the Cyprus Mail that many EU member states now view Turkey as an indispensable part of European defence given its military capabilities. She noted that if more countries align with Ankara, there will be pressure to arrange special deals, and Cyprus and Greece may need to consider whether their consent is worth trading for political concessions elsewhere. Cyprus Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas said Cyprus would keep building its own defence capabilities through European initiatives and would not seek permission from third countries on decisions affecting its national security. #Cyprus #Greece #Turkey