Turkey-EU and Greece-Turkey tensions escalate over Cyprus and Aegean airspace

Tensions between Turkey and European institutions have escalated following a European Parliament proposal to fund a monument in Cyprus. The Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) suggested allocating funds for a memorial dedicated to women and girls who were victims of sexual violence during the 1974 Turkish invasion. Turkey's Ministry of National Defense rejected the proposal, labeling claims of war crimes as “unfounded slanders” and describing the 1974 military intervention as a “peace operation” intended to protect the Turkish Cypriot community.

Simultaneously, maritime and aerial tensions have risen in the Aegean Sea. On September 11, 2026, the Greek General Staff reported that three pairs of Turkish F-16s and three drones conducted ten violations of Greek airspace and multiple breaches of air traffic rules. These incidents occurred shortly before the Greek Prime Minister's visit to Kastellorizo. Turkish aircraft reportedly refused to leave the Athens FIR, leading to two intense simulated aerial combat engagements with Greek interceptors.