The French military conducted joint military exercises with Greek forces off the southern island of Crete on Thursday, as tension continues with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean.
In an official statement, the French armed forces ministry announced that it has sent two Rafale fighter jets and the naval frigate ‘Lafayette’ to the eastern Mediterranean, according to Reuters.
The frigate and the jets had arrived in Crete earlier on Thursday and carried out joint maneuvers with Greek forces, according to the Greek defense sources.
This comes within the framework of French president Emmanuel Macron's commitment to temporarily reinforce his country's presence in the eastern Mediterranean.
France has called on Turkey to halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters.
Last Wednesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the situation in the region with Macron over the phone.
"Emmanuel Macron is a true friend of Greece and a fervent defender of European values and international law," Mitsotakis tweeted, in French, after the call with Macron.
It is worth mentioning that, Ankara continues to explore the maritime areas that Cyprus and Greece consider their own and have recently resorted to military drills off the Greek coast, which have deepened the European crisis.
The European Union (EU) still adheres to its dual approach in dealing with Turkish activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, which is represented in openness to dialogue with Ankara on the one hand and adopting proper measures to protect European interests on the other hand.
This is what was expressed by the spokesman for the EU’s High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, who confirmed that Brussels rejects the negative Turkish actions in the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean and calls for engaging in a constructive and effective dialogue with Ankara.
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