President Nikos Christodoulides has expressed pride in the armed forces of the Republic of Cyprus and hailed the high level of defence cooperation between Cyprus and France during a visit to members of the National Guard in Paris.

Christodoulides, who travelled to the French capital at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron for Bastille Day celebrations, visited the military base hosting the Cypriot contingent on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s military parade.

Addressing the elite unit, the president said the invitation to march with the flag of the Republic of Cyprus along the Champs-Élysées before heads of state and government carried significant symbolic importance.

He said the invitation also reflected the strength of the strategic partnership between Cyprus and France, with bilateral relations now at their highest level.

In the presence of National Guard commander Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, Christodoulides congratulated the personnel representing Cyprus in the parade and praised members of the National Guard serving with distinction in international missions and multinational formations.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the continuous strengthening of the Republic’s defence capabilities.