Overview
- Cyprus has assumed the rotating EU Council presidency with the motto “An autonomous Union, open to the world,” prioritizing ties with Middle East and Mediterranean partners.
- An anonymous X account posted an eight‑minute compilation on January 8 purporting to show close associates of President Nikos Christodoulides discussing illicit campaign funding and investor access.
- Presidential office director Charalambos Charalambous resigned and First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides stepped down from a charity board as police and prosecutors opened inquiries.
- Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis dismissed the material as a deceptive montage, and investigators say the tactics align with a likely Russian‑style disinformation operation.
- Nicosia is preparing an April informal leaders’ meeting on a Mediterranean pact, pressing EU migration reforms ahead of the mid‑June solidarity pool, and seeking Schengen progress as the Commission reviews border controls.