Cyprus officially assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union on Wednesday for a six-month term, opening this new chapter with a meeting in Nicosia attended by the Ukrainian president. Volodymyr Zelenskyfrom the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council Antonio Costa.
Welcomed at the presidential palace by the Cypriot head of state Nikos ChristodoulidesZelensky expressed hope that the Cypriot presidency would lead to concrete progress toward Ukraine's accession to the European Union. He indicated that the meeting would also be an opportunity to discuss the follow-up to the Paris summit, during which the United States supported a broad coalition of Kyiv's allies willing to offer security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.
An official ceremony scheduled for later in the day in Nicosia is expected to bring together several Middle Eastern leaders, including the Lebanese president. Joseph Aounillustrating Cyprus's ambition to position itself as a diplomatic bridge between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean region during its presidency.
Traditionally close to Moscow politically and culturally, Cyprus has nonetheless fully aligned itself with European sanctions against Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine. On the island, many officials draw parallels between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Turkey's occupation of northern Cyprus since 1974, following a coup supported by the Greek junta of the time.
Zelensky's presence was thus perceived as a strong political signal of the European Union's continued support for Kyiv, as the conflict enters its fifth year. In a message posted on X, Christodoulides reaffirmed Cyprus's "unwavering" commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, emphasizing that his country fully understood the consequences of a prolonged invasion and military occupation.
During his visit, the Ukrainian president also met with the Greek Orthodox archbishop of Cyprus, Georgiosat the head of one of the oldest independent Christian churches. Despite internal divisions, the Cypriot Church expressed its support for the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from Moscow, adding a religious and symbolic dimension to Zelensky's visit.
