Turkish unease over Greek moves in the Eastern Mediterranean has returned forcefully to the foreground, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit to Kastellorizo, Ro and Strongyli drawing close attention from the Turkish press, while Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a new statement opposing the continuation of the U.S. policy lifting the arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the military outposts on Ro and Strongyli on Saturday, accompanied, among others, by Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Nikitas Kaklamanis and Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Dimitrios Choupis. On Ro, he inspected the outpost’s facilities and laid a wreath at the memorial to Despina Achladioti, the “Lady of Ro.”
On Ro, Mitsotakis was briefed on the new pier and toured the outpost’s new main building, dining hall and kitchens, as well as the recently constructed Hellenic Armed Forces guest quarters.
The prime minister’s presence in the Kastellorizo island group had already prompted a series of reports in Turkey. The Turkish newspaper Nefes revived a recent statement by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from Kaş under the headline “Perhaps he will hear more clearly from up close,” while Turkish media linked the visit to Greece’s positions on maritime zones and the extension of territorial waters to 12 nautical miles.
On the same day, Ankara also reopened the Cyprus front, reacting to the United States’ decision to continue for another year the suspension of restrictions on transfers of U.S. defence equipment to the Republic of Cyprus.
In its statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the U.S. decision had been extended until September 30, 2027, and declared that it shared the position of the Turkish Cypriot pseudostate. Ankara accused the Republic of Cyprus of carrying out “intensive armament activities” that, according to the Turkish position, undermine regional stability.
“At a time when the Greek Cypriot side is increasing its pressure on the Turkish Cypriot people, the co-owners of the Island, in all areas and is undermining regional stability through its intensive armament activities, we emphasize once again that steps which will further erode trust between the two sides on the Island should be avoided,” the Turkish statement said.
Turkey added that, as a “Motherland and Guarantor,” it would continue to defend what it called “the legitimate rights and interests of the Turkish Cypriot people,” while also pursuing the international upgrading of the breakaway administration.
The U.S. decision is already official. The State Department amended the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, providing that from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, the Republic of Cyprus will once again be temporarily removed from the list of destinations prohibited from receiving the specified defence transfers. Washington also said the U.S. secretary of state certified to Congress on July 10, 2026, that the Republic of Cyprus continues to meet the conditions established by law.
