French President Emmanuel Macron sang the national anthem, La Marseillaise, alongside sailors aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle off the coast of Crete on Monday, March 9, 2026. The emotional moment took place in the ship’s hangar bay and was captured in a video posted by Macron on social media.
A Regional Show of Unity
Earlier that day, Macron visited Cyprus for a trilateral summit with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The meeting followed recent drone interceptions over mainland Greece — an incident underscoring growing regional security concerns. From Paphos, the three leaders issued a unified message: an attack on Cyprus is an attack on Europe.
From Cyprus to the Mediterranean
After the summit, Macron made a brief stop at the Souda naval base in Crete, where he was welcomed by Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias. He then boarded the Charles de Gaulle, flagship of the French Navy’s Carrier Strike Group, currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean.
A Symbolic Gesture
In his address to the crew, Macron said: “It is a great honor for me to be among you again, back in this hangar aboard the Charles de Gaulle. France is here to protect its own, stand by its allies and friends under attack, and participate in missions of vital importance. We will proceed calmly. Your presence demonstrates France’s strength as a force for peace beside its friends.”
The visit underscored France’s continued military engagement in the region and reinforced diplomatic solidarity among Greece, Cyprus, and France amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.