Overview
- Cyprus assumes the six‑month rotating EU Council presidency on January 1, promising a “different mindset” and a vision of a self‑reliant union open to the world built on five pillars: security, competitiveness, enlargement, autonomy and fiscal balance.
- The presidency names Ukraine as the top focus and commits to pushing enlargement progress for Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.
- President Nikos Christodoulides says Cyprus will back European defence initiatives and advance readiness targets to 2030 while stressing strong trans‑Atlantic ties.
- Nicosia plans deeper engagement with the Middle East, including an EU–eastern Mediterranean/Gulf summit in the Cypriot capital on April 23, 2026.
- The agenda highlights competitiveness through energy security and diversified supply routes, with outreach to India that includes exploring an EU–India free trade zone; Cyprus says it will not raise national issues during its term, though it continues to block Turkey’s participation in the SAFE defence programme.