France has proposed to Cyprus the purchase of Leclerc tanks to replace the Russian T-80U, as well as the acquisition of new Mistral portable anti-aircraft missile systems to substitute the old existing MANPADS of that type.
If Cyprus agrees to these proposals, their implementation would create an opportunity to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine, at least in the area of short-range air defense systems. This is mentioned in a publication by the Cypriot outlet Kathimerini.
According to the publication, Cyprus is currently considering the option to acquire new or used tanks as part of a potential order worth 250 million euros. Germany could also be a possible supplier, which is why France has put forth its proposal for the Leclerc tanks, in order not to lose the competition.
It is also suggested that France might agree to buy back its Leclerc tanks that were previously supplied to the United Arab Emirates, although there is no clear indication of the number of tanks and the timeline for their possible delivery.
It is worth noting that there is currently no detailed plan from Cyprus regarding what it intends to do with the Russian T-80U tanks, of which there are 82 units in the National Guard's inventory.
It should be recalled that in the summer of 2023, there was a discussion about Cyprus potentially giving half of its T-80U tanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in exchange for Merkava tanks from Israel. However, this option was not realized, as after the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023, Merkava tanks became more necessary for the IDF.
The situation with the portable Mistral anti-aircraft missile systems is as follows: Cyprus has up to 170 of these MANPADS, which were purchased 40 years ago and are nearing the end of their service life. France has offered to take back these old Mistrals and in return provide new MANPADS at a significant discount, while the returned old "Mistrals" would undergo "reprofiling" and be used to strengthen short-range air defense in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
France is considered one of the traditional arms suppliers for Cyprus. For example, the coastal defense of this country relies on a battery of three MM40 Exocet coastal missile systems, and in addition to the 82 Russian T-80U tanks, the National Guard of Cyprus also operates 52 AMX-52 tanks.
When and for how much Cyprus purchased the Russian T-80U, and what significant factor hinders the "migration" of these machines to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was explained by Defense Express in a separate publication. We also reported that the French in 2016 talked about resuming production of the Leclerc, but nothing materialized beyond those discussions.