Overview
- Ukraine's foreign minister Andrii Sybiha spoke with Cyprus's Konstantinos Kombos to drive accession progress during Nicosia's six-month term, with talks covering defense cooperation and energy resilience.
- Cyprus began its Council presidency on 1 January and has committed to keeping Ukraine among top priorities throughout its tenure.
- Foreign minister Kombos says Cyprus will bring a “new approach” to accession negotiations while focusing the agenda on defense and migration.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked President Nikos Christodoulides for support and urged strong EU decisions, calling EU membership a security guarantee for Ukraine.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the presidency opens at a decisive moment and should strengthen Europe's autonomy, readiness, and competitiveness.