- Title: Macron visits French aircraft carrier in eastern Mediterranean sea
- Date: 9th March 2026
- Summary: AT SEA (MARCH 9, 2026) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HELICOPTER APPROACHING CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRCRAFT CARRIER HELICOPTER LANDING ON AIRCRAFT CARRIER FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, WALKING ON CARRIER FRENCH FLAG FLYING FROM CARRIER’S TOWER MACRON WALKING WITH MILITARY OFFICERS RAFALE FIGHTER JETS VARIOUS OF MACRON WALKING PAST FRENCH SAILORS, STATIONED ABOARD CHARLES DE GAULLE
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: French military Macron Mediterranean Sea aircraft carrier
- Location: AT SEA
- City: AT SEA
- Country: France
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,International/National Security
- Reuters ID: LVA002239609032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French President Emmanuel Macron visited troops aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on Monday (March 9), off the coast of Crete, and said France’s military presence in the region sought to protect its citizens and provide support for partner countries.
France is deploying about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and potentially the Strait of Hormuz as part of defensive support to allies threatened by the conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking alongside Cypriot President in Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides earlier on Monday, Macron expressed European solidarity after drones were intercepted heading towards the island last week.
European states have been largely sidelined as the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has escalated, hitting Gulf Arab states and dragging Lebanon into the line of fire after Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel.
But with shipping lanes in the Middle East impacted and the price of oil heading well above $100 a barrel, European powers are grappling with the issue of how to defend their interests.
The European Union's main naval activities in the region center on Aspides - Shields in Greek - a Red Sea naval mission launched in early 2024 to guard vessels from attack by Iranian-aligned Houthi militants backing Palestinian militant group Hamas in its war with Israel.
Macron, whose navy already provides one warship to that mission, said there would be two in total, but that in all France would deploy eight warships, the aircraft carrier group and two helicopter carriers to the region.
That could ultimately include the Strait of Hormuz to support commercial vessels when hostilities subside, Macron said.
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