The French Fremm-class frigate Aquitaine arrived in Antalya this morning for a port visit. I am not a fan of the French Navy’s newly adopted policy of erasing the ships’ pennant numbers. While information about the ships’ deployments is available on the internet and through other media, this removal of pennant numbers only makes life difficult for ship spotters and nothing more.
This is the fourth time a French Navy ship has visited a Turkish port in 2025
- FNS Courbet was in Antalya from January 9 to 14.
- FNS Capricorne was in İzmir from January 31 to February 4.
- FNS Commandant Birot was in Antalya from January 31 to February 4.
The increasing frequency of French ships visiting Turkish ports is an interesting trend. Typically, the Greek Cypriot side is the preferred port of call for French ships. France, as a major ally of Greece, has invested politically and militarily in the Greek Cypriot region.
A few years ago, France and Türkiye were at odds over the situation in Libya. Macron accused Turkey of “criminal responsibility” in Libya, and the French frigate Courbet, part of NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian, attempted to inspect a Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship, Cirkin, which was escorted by three Turkish frigates. However, TCG Oruçreis, one of the Turkish frigates escorting the cargo ship, warned of the French vessel and tracked it with her electro-optical device coupled to her fire control radar. France described this as an “extremely aggressive” act, while Turkey denied the claims, stating that the interaction was friendly.
This incident highlighted the tensions between the two NATO allies, with France accusing Türkiye of violating the UN arms embargo and obstructing peace efforts in Libya.
So, does the increasing number of French warship visits signal a kind of rapprochement between the two countries? Perhaps yes, perhaps no. It’s possible that France has realized that alienatingTürkiye further is not a sound diplomatic move, as Türkiye holds significant influence in the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. Alternatively, France may be adhering to the old adage: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” This could indicate a strategic shift in how the two nations approach their relationship, possibly reflecting a more pragmatic stance in the face of shifting geopolitical dynamics.
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