Cyprus aims to leverage its upcoming six-month Presidency of the EU Council to reduce tensions with Turkey and pave the way for its NATO accession, President Nikos Christodoulides told POLITICO.
The goal is to convince Turkey to accept Cyprus’s participation in the “Partnership for Peace” program, widely seen as the first step toward NATO membership. In return, Cyprus would gradually remove obstacles to closer EU-Turkey cooperation, such as the SAFE defense program.
Christodoulides said he has already discussed the proposal with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The Partnership for Peace program aims to strengthen relations through military cooperation between NATO and countries in Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Christodoulides described Cyprus’s NATO accession as a “natural evolution,” though it has not occurred until now due to “political conditions.” NATO members can veto a country’s entry, with Turkey currently refusing to allow Cyprus’s accession.
Meanwhile, Cyprus and Greece continue to block Turkey from participating in joint actions funded under the EU’s €150 billion SAFE program and from joining the European Defence Agency.
Source: POLITICO
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