President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides is advocating for a significant shift in the European Union’s approach to Turkey, arguing that embracing Ankara is key to resolving the Cyprus issue and stabilizing the region.
The President’s comments were made in an interview with the Financial Times as Cyprus prepares to take over the rotating EU presidency next January.
Cyprus calls for a new approach to Turkey
Christodoulides emphasized that geography dictates a new realism in the EU-Turkey relationship. “We changed our approach regarding the European Union–Turkey relationship. We cannot change our geography. Turkey will always be a neighbor of Cyprus, so I prefer a neighbor that is close to the European Union,” he told the FT.
To signal this pivot, President Christodoulides has proposed inviting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to informal meetings with the EU during Cyprus’s presidency, stating this would “send a positive message regarding European Union–Turkey relations.”
Relaunching peace negotiations
The Cypriot leader is pushing for a resumption of peace talks following the recent election of Tufan Erhürman as the Turkish Cypriot leader.
Christodoulides believes the negotiations should pick up exactly where they left off at the Crans-Montana summit in 2017. “We came so close…If we start from where we left off, it is possible,” he asserted to the FT.
Crucially, he argues that the EU itself must have a direct seat at the negotiating table this time. According to Christodoulides, only Brussels can offer Ankara strong enough incentives—such as visa liberalization for Turkish entrepreneurs—to finalize a deal.
He suggests that small, mutual confidence-building steps could pave the way for a broader agreement. For instance, Turkey could open one of its ports to vessels flying the Cypriot flag, a gesture of normalization since no Cypriot-flagged ship has been able to approach Turkey since 1987.
Internal EU resistance and the US factor
While advocating for engagement, Christodoulides acknowledged that his outreach might face internal EU opposition. “The Commission may be ready. I am not sure if the member states are ready, or if they are hiding behind Cyprus,” he admitted.
Separately, the Cypriot President highlighted the Middle East as a potential area of convergence for the EU and the United States, positioning Cyprus as a bridge between Europe and the region. He views the Middle East as “a point of convergence with [former President] Trump and the US.”
Christodoulides stressed that Europe must find ways to work with Donald Trump, should he return to the US presidency. “It doesn’t matter if you agree or disagree. He is the president of the US. We must find a way to cooperate. In our region, he is the leader, and we see positive developments thanks to his leadership,” he concluded.
Related: EU Report Slams Turkey on Rights, Tensions With Greece, and Cyprus
