OR Cyprus is actively involved in the regulation SAFEto the Commission’s financial tool, which provides loans to Member States for the purchase of defense equipment.
In particular, Cyprus will receive almost € 1.2 billion from Safe, with the aim of meeting immediate defensive needs and enhancing security. “This decision is of particular importance in the light of the international context,” he said.
He noted that Cyprus submitted in a timely manner intention to use the mechanism and on September 9, 2025, the European Commission announced the allocation of the amounts, with a share corresponding to Cyprus specifically to € 1,181.503.924.
It is recalled that for Greece the Commission approved loans of 787 million euros.
“This amount,” continued Mr Letibiotis, “is particularly high in relation to the size of the Republic of Cyprus, which demonstrates both the confidence in our country and the ability to make the most of European tools to enhance our defense and deterrent power.”
The spokesman said the Ministry of Defense, in collaboration with the National Guard General Staff, is working on the list of equipment programs that will be included in the investment plan, which will be submitted to the European Commission no later than 30 November 2025.
“Already,” he continued, “there is a preliminary list that will be finalized next time, taking into account the National Guard’s operational priorities and the strategic targeting of the government.”
He then explained that the SAFE program is a five -year period, with an average of approximately € 220–230 million a year, which will be adapted to the needs and capabilities of the Republic of Cyprus.
He also talked about the particular priority of the support of the Cyprus Defense Industry.
As Mr Letibiotis said, the Cypriot government is seeking to use these programs in order to boost domestic production, enhance extroversion and create synergies that will contribute to both the strengthening of the National Guard and the participation of Cyprus in European and international defense.
As we wrote earlier today on onalert.gr, Cyprus received another array of the Israeli anti -aircraft system from Israel, Turkish media broadcast.
The equipment from the US and Turkey in Safe
At the same time, he also referred to the supply of equipment from the US for free or at low cost, through Excess Defense Articles (EDA) and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs.
Already, as we mentioned a few days ago, Nicosia turned to the American Pentagon with a verbal decoration, calling for specific weapons systems of surplus stocks of the US Armed Forces as part of its planning to strengthen the National Guard.
The next period of the National Guard will go to the US to inspect, to evaluate the weapons systems closely, the spokesman said.
Called to comment on the issue concerning Turkey’s request for inclusion in the Safe Regulation, the spokesman said that nothing has been differentiated in the program’s provisions and how a candidate could participate in it.
“And the Commission’s spokesman yesterday referred to the insurance valves that have been raised and made special reference to Article 16 of the Regulation which says that if a third country somehow violates the security interests of one of the EU Member States or the EU as a whole one can be excluded from participation in the program.”