Cyprus has submitted its list for defence equipment under the EU’s SAFE regulation, with requests ranging from ammunition to drones and armoured personnel carriers, Defence Ministry sources told Phileleftheros.
The Cypriot list includes everything the National Guard needs, from bullets to drones and armoured carriers.
Under the SAFE regulation framework, Cyprus is targeting ammunition of various types: bullets, missiles for battle tanks and artillery, as well as mortars.
The list also includes armoured personnel carriers, drones, scopes and other targeting equipment, as well as communications equipment for the National Guard.
Cyprus has also included upgrades to its two military bases – the air base in Paphos and the naval base at Mari.
However, the European Commission may not approve the base upgrades. In that case, the estimated amount for base improvements would go towards other equipment programmes.
The items on the list for SAFE funding cover National Guard upgrades over a five-year period through 2030. The amount approved by the European Commission comes to €1.2 billion.
The approval of this sum does not give member states free rein to spend recklessly. The EU has made clear that annual spending must be balanced with public finances.
In short, any money spent under the SAFE programme must be permitted by each country’s public finances. Additionally, weapons purchases must receive a green light from the Finance Ministry and then win approval from the House of Representatives.
Nicosia is estimated to have the first tranche of money available to spend in the second half of 2026.
The government, the defence minister and the president have repeatedly stressed that Cyprus aims to strengthen its defence and deterrent capability. They point out that the National Guard is not an offensive army but exists as a deterrent and security force.
