Cyprus’ security is the collective responsibility of the EU, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday ahead of a visit to the island by the leaders of Greece and France.

Speaking during a visit to a school in Larnaca, Christodoulides said the visit by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and French President Emmanuel Macron was “important and sends the message that Cyprus’ security is also Europe’s responsibility and the collective responsibility of the EU.”

“From the moment we have this response on behalf of EU member states – which I would like to publicly thank for their immediate response – the path is paved for the EU to prove in practice, with actions as the ones we see in Cyprus, the necessity to undertake the defence of EU borders, and I believe it the presence of so many European states in our country to be particularly important,” he said.

Christodoulides said this was the first time such a response had been seen. “I consider this fact to be especially important,” he added.

Commenting on Lebanese press reports that Cyprus may host direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, Christodoulides said he spoke with the Lebanese president on Monday morning and that when there was anything concrete he would “gladly announce it publicly”.