Christodoulides in direct contact with von der Leyen on Cyprob ahead of Ankara talks

Politics Cyprus problemeuEuropean UnionNikos ChristodoulidesTop NewsturkeyunUnited NationsUrsula Von der Leyen Christodoulides in direct contact with von der Leyen on Cyprob ahead of Ankara talks Ursula Von Der Leyen Nikos Christodoulides Relevant News Christodoulides in direct contact with von der Leyen on Cyprob ahead of Ankara talks 8 July 2026 On this day: Vivien Leigh, British actress, died in 1967 8 July 2026 Iran targets sites in Bahrain, Kuwait after wave of US strikes 8 July 2026 Andreas Bimbishis 8 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber President Nikos Christodoulides and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are in direct contact ahead of today’s meeting in Ankara between EU institutional leaders and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at which the Cyprus problem will also be discussed. The European Union is currently the central axis around which developments that could positively affect efforts on the Cyprus problem are moving. These include tonight’s dinner between Erdoğan, European Council President António Costa and von der Leyen; the UN Secretary-General’s reference, in his report on the Good Offices mission in Cyprus, to the EU’s role in the Cyprus problem; and María Ángela Holguín’s visit to Brussels to discuss with EU institutional leaders how the bloc can support Secretary-General António Guterres’s efforts on the issue. Everything, however, depends on how Erdoğan positions himself and what moves he is willing to make to help the effort, which is why the Turkish President’s meeting with Costa and von der Leyen carries particular weight. In Nicosia, President Christodoulides is in direct contact with von der Leyen, speaking and exchanging messages ahead of the Erdoğan meeting. The two are expected to speak again shortly after the dinner with the Turkish President. Everything depends on Ankara In statements yesterday, President Christodoulides said he hoped for positive results from the Ankara meetings. He said he could not predict the outcome of tomorrow’s dinner discussion, but that what he does know and is certain of is what the European Council President and European Commission President will convey regarding the strategy Cyprus has promoted, linking positive developments in the Cyprus problem to positive developments in EU-Turkey relations. He said everything depends on the conduct and stance of the Turkish President, the Commission President and the Council President, adding that Cyprus is operating within the same framework and would wait to be updated tomorrow. He said he remains “in constant contact” with the Commission President in particular. He said further that he had exchanged some very specific messages with the Commission President on Monday, and that they had agreed yesterday to hold a new phone call. Positive reception for Guterres reference The first thing Nicosia takes from the reports sent to the Security Council is the UN Secretary-General’s reference to the role and importance of the European Union in his efforts to revive Cyprus problem talks. A government source, speaking to Phileleftheros about the Secretary-General’s two reports, on Good Offices in Cyprus and on UNFICYP’s activities on the island, said the references to the European Union, and specifically to the importance of EU support for the Secretary-General’s efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, carry particular political significance. In his statements yesterday, President Christodoulides described the EU reference in the Good Offices report as particularly important, while noting that he does not feel the references create any pressing timeline for the leaders to seize the opportunity on the Cyprus problem. Instead, responding to journalists’ questions, he said Cyprus is pursuing substantive developments towards resolving the Cyprus problem as soon as possible, including tomorrow if feasible. President Christodoulides recalled that it was Cyprus’s own actions that led to the current momentum. He said what he takes from the Secretary-General’s report and considers particularly important is the EU reference, noting that this was a goal he had raised even before his election, for which he said some had criticised him and made ironic remarks. Nicosia’s assessment Nicosia, according to the government source, believes these references confirm a consistent pursuit by President Christodoulides from the outset: the more active and substantive involvement of the European Union, always within the UN framework and in support of the Secretary-General’s efforts. The Cyprus government further notes that the Secretary-General sees a window of opportunity, which it says reflects its own reading, attributed to the efforts made on Cyprus’s side from the outset. The same government source added that Cyprus has been working from the start to create and fully utilise that window, with seriousness, consistency and commitment to resuming substantive negotiations from the point they were interrupted, on the basis of the agreed framework and Security Council resolutions. According to Nicosia’s initial reading, the reports also confirm the Secretary-General’s continued engagement in seeking a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus problem, and record the intensification of dialogue between the two leaders as a positive development. On Varosha, the assessment is that the Secretary-General’s references are clear and significant, restating that the UN continues to monitor the situation and that the UN’s position remains unchanged. Nicosia also notes that the report’s reference to Security Council Resolutions 550 and 789, and the need for compliance with them, confirms that the international law framework remains clear and binding. It is also stressed that no action creating new realities on the ground can be accepted. Points of disagreement remain Asked to comment on the UNFICYP report’s reference to three Greek Cypriots having fired on peacekeepers, the President said there is always an approach from the UN that he does not endorse, in which it seeks to balance criticism between the two sides, so that if something negative is written about one side, something will also be found to write about the other, adding that this is not a recent tendency but a longstanding one. He said what he retains is the substance: that there is momentum on the Cyprus problem after many years, which began partly through Cyprus’s own persistent efforts, and which he hopes will lead to positive results. Asked whether he sees any contradictions, given that the report states a solution is unattainable without Confidence Building Measures while also noting that such measures cannot replace negotiation, the President said Cyprus is not currently discussing confidence building measures. He said the Secretary-General’s personal envoy, during her last visit to Cyprus, told both leaders that the focus, on the basis of the UN Secretary-General’s guidelines, must remain on the substance of the Cyprus problem, with the aim of resuming talks. 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