Cyprus is on the frontier of Europe as it deals with the fallout from the US and Israeli war on Iran.
It is proving to be a test for European governments as the contrasting fortunes of French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have demonstrated.
The outbreak of war has seen much criticism of Mr Starmer's ability to make decisions, or the lack of it. It has exposed severe gaps in the British military , particularly the Royal Navy.
The contrast with Mr Macron's ability to order his own flotilla of navy ships, travel to Cyprus to inspect its defences and promise to send vessels to the Red Sea for freedom of shipping is telling. Mr Macron has even suggested French warships would provide Strait of Hormuz escorts for tankers, although only when the Iranian aggression had quietened.
Late on Tuesday HMS Dragon, the impressive destroyer that the UK had lined up for a Mediterranean mission, set sail eastward 10 days into the war.
Officials have gone back and forth over whether the UK's own carrier, The Prince of Wales, would reinforce the British presence before sticking to the pre-Iran war Plan A, which is a mission to the North Atlantic in a few weeks.
While Cyprus is not in the Middle East, the two British sovereign territories on the island, an airbase and a listening station, were targets for Iran. Its proxy forces in Lebanon fired an attack drone at the airbase, RAF Akrotiri, leaving visible damage.
While there are more of the UK's fighter jets at the base than at any other station, the lack of UK maritime firepower was quickly filled by France and Greece. Even German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul went to the island for a multilateral conference.
As HMS Dragon moves into place the questions swirl over whether or not the UK as a defence force has ran out of puff.
Mr Macron was able to pledge direct support: "When Cyprus is attacked, then Europe is attacked." He flew by helicopter to the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.
Mr Starmer's pronouncements have been domestically focused. He told the cabinet on Tuesday that no matter what challenges the war throws up, the government will remained focused on problems with the cost of living. He said that supporting families will always be at the forefront of his mind.
Labour's political machine has absorbed the message and late on Tuesday, as HMS Dragon made its way down the English channel, the party detailed calls from the opposition Conservatives and Reform to join or give full support to Washington's decision to wage war on Iran and its nuclear ambitions.
For a country that has centuries of military links to the Gulf region, the absence of a Royal Navy presence for the first time as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked stands in defiance of history.
A poll from YouGov on Tuesday showed 56 per cent of those surveyed said the Starmer government was handling defence badly – a jump of 11 points in a week. It also found that the number of Britons thinking defence was the top national issue leapt 10 points to 35 per cent since last week – the first time in nine years it had ranked so highly.
A French poll found 85 per cent were hostile to the Iranian regime but only 25 per cent wanted to see France take part in the conflict. Another survey there suggested a quarter of French people say they trust Mr Macron to lead the nation, a rise of six per cent in a week and an increase of nine points this year.
Mr Starmer's government is committed to raising defence spending by the end of the decade but has failed to deliver on an expenditure and investment plan.
To address the gaps, it has promised a Nato-first defence force orientation. Mr Starmer's foreign policy priority is a UK-EU reset and there are signs that is why the government did not rally as the US set itself on a course to war.
There are rumours that National Security Adviser and veteran of the Blair government, Jonathan Powell, is unhappy with the stance and is quietly preparing to step down.
Former National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill says the erosion of the basics of maintenance has caught Mr Starmer out. There are consequences for opting out of a war and only offering defensive support. He listed a threefold impact; American frustration; Gulf allies' concern over the slowness to move when they were under attack; and an assessment that the UK would have struggled if there was a more direct attack on it.
The UK government has one sliver of comfort to build on. After weeks of political infighting, Mr Starmer faces Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday with a party more united behind him on the big issue of the day than anyone expected.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch berated the Labour leader for failing to "catch arrows" when Cyprus was attacked last week. Mr Starmer will be seeking to throw a few of his own when the two clash over the conflict at PMQs.
