Turkey’s massive military buildup in northern cyprus rattles greek and eu concerns
Nicosia, Cyprus/London-UK, November 28,2025
EAST MEDITERRANEAN TENSION:
Ankara Plans to Double Troops in Northern Cyprus and Deploy Drones, Drawing EU Vetoes and Greek Outrage
A geopolitical powder keg is heating up in the Eastern Mediterranean as Turkey’s Massive Military Buildup in Northern Cyprus Rattles Greek and EU Concerns, threatening to unravel stability and complicate tentative moves toward reunification talks.
Ankara has announced plans to more than double its military presence in the northern part of the island—a territory occupied since 1974—escalating the decades-long dispute to a dangerous new level.
This dramatic influx of troops and advanced weaponry has drawn immediate condemnation from the European Union (EU) and has been described by the Greek Cypriot government as an existential threat to the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus.
The escalation is not merely a numerical increase but a significant qualitative shift in Turkey’s regional power projection. Reports indicate that Ankara intends to raise its garrison strength from approximately 40,000 to over 100,000 personnel, transforming Northern Cyprus from a static defensive position into a comprehensive regional deterrent.
This ground force expansion is being augmented by advanced military technology: the deployment of Akıncı Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), specialized electronic warfare (EW) systems, coastal anti-ship missiles, and the potential forward deployment of Tayfun-class short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs).
Experts warn that this fusion of air, land, and electronic capabilities is designed to create a sophisticated Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) bubble, capable of compressing decision timelines and neutralizing naval and energy assets across the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Republic of Cyprus and Greece have reacted with profound alarm. Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos stated that the military modernization is not simply defensive but a deliberate step to assert control and deny Cyprus its sovereignty.
This sentiment is shared at the EU level, where the bloc has taken concrete steps to express its displeasure.
Greece and Cyprus are now actively using their veto power to block Turkey’s desired inclusion in the EU’s multi-billion euro military procurement loan instrument, the SAFE program.
Athens and Nicosia argue vehemently that the EU cannot allow a third country that is currently occupying an EU member state (Cyprus) and issuing threats (casus belli over Aegean Sea disputes) to access its defense funding mechanisms.
The EU’s 2025 Progress Report on Turkey served as an official diplomatic censure, with the Commission expressing deep dissatisfaction with Ankara’s continued lack of compliance regarding its Cyprus-related obligations and its persistent drilling operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus.
Turkey, however, swiftly rejected the report as “biased, prejudiced, and baseless,” maintaining that its military actions are necessary for the protection of the Turkish Cypriot community against what it perceives as increased regional military activity from the US, Israel, and other EU partners in the Republic of Cyprus.
The paradox of the current situation is stark: the military escalation is occurring precisely when long-stalled peace efforts are showing a glimmer of life. Just days ago, on November 20, 2025, the leaders of the two communities—Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman—met in the UN-controlled buffer zone and agreed to work toward reviving reunification talks.
The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) hailed the agreement as a step towards advancing confidence-building measures ahead of a planned visit by a UN Secretary-General envoy next month.
Yet, this small diplomatic window is being overshadowed by the massive military shadow being cast by Ankara.
Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side continue to demand that any resumption of formal talks be based on the principle of a “two-state solution,” which would formalise the island’s division, rather than the internationally recognized goal of a bizonal, bicommunal federal state.
This precondition, backed by the growing threat of a six-figure garrison, renders the recent peace pledges hollow and raises serious concerns among international observers, including the London-UK based editorial boards, that the military buildup is intended to pressure Nicosia into accepting partition under duress.
The island of Cyprus is now witnessing a dangerous competition between diplomacy and sheer military might, the outcome of which will redefine the security architecture of the entire Eastern Mediterranean.
Headline Points
Massive Buildup:
Turkey plans to more than double its troops in Northern Cyprus, from 40,000 to potentially over 100,000, in the most significant military escalation since 1974.
Advanced Weaponry:
The escalation includes deploying sophisticated Akıncı Drones and potentially Tayfun short-range ballistic missiles, creating an Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) zone in the Eastern Mediterranean.
EU Blockade:
Greece and the Republic of Cyprus are retaliating by actively blocking Turkey’s participation in the EU’s SAFE military procurement loan instrument due to the illegal occupation.
Peace Paradox:
Despite the military tension, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders agreed on November 20, 2025, to work toward reviving long-stalled reunification talks under UN auspices.
Existential Threat:
The Greek Cypriot side views the military expansion as an existential threat aimed at cementing the division and forcing acceptance of a two-state solution.
