Overview
- Volodymyr Zelensky met President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia and is set to join the ceremony marking Cyprus’s takeover of the EU’s rotating presidency alongside Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa.
- Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides said Ukraine will be a central priority of the presidency, reaffirming support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha pressed for opening EU negotiation clusters in 2026 during talks with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and discussed using EU instruments for security, sanctions and recovery.
- Zelensky said discussions include strengthening sanctions on Russia as well as bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses and the production and supply of drones.
- The visit follows Paris talks where the United States backed a coalition pledging security guarantees in the event of a ceasefire, while past efforts to advance Ukraine’s talks faced pushback from Hungary.