Italy is deploying a naval frigate to Cyprus to help protect the island, a few days after a drone struck a British military base there, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said.
“In order to safeguard the borders of the European Union, we are deploying an Italian frigate to Cyprus,” Meloni said in a recorded video message, describing the move as “an act of European solidarity, but above all prevention”.
“Our position, however, is very clear: Italy is not part of the conflict and does not intend to become part of it,” she added.
The frigate Federico Martinengo, equipped with missiles and carrying more than 160 crew members, departed on Friday afternoon from Taranto in southern Italy, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
Meloni also said Italy is holding “close talks” with the United Kingdom, France and Germany on ways “to avoid a new escalation”.
Source: ANA-MPA