Cyprus Takes Over EU Council Presidency for Six Months

Overview

• Cyprus assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 January, taking over from Denmark until the end of June 2026.
• President Nikos Christodoulidis framed the term as a national responsibility and set priorities spanning defense and energy security, economic resilience, migration management, digital sovereignty, and emissions reduction.
• The presidency agenda places emphasis on strategic autonomy, stronger transatlantic ties, closer EU‑NATO cooperation, maritime security, and engagement with Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, Turkey, the Mediterranean, and the Persian Gulf.
• An informal European Council meeting is planned in Nicosia in April, alongside a presidency schedule of 258 meetings in Cyprus with about 28,000 visitors expected.
• Officials stress that the rotating presidency chiefly organizes and chairs Council work, while the European Commission proposes most decisions for ministers to consider.