Overview
- Zelensky met Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia before joining Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa for the presidency’s opening ceremony.
- Christodoulides said Ukraine will be a central priority of Cyprus’s six‑month term and reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Zelensky urged progress toward opening EU accession negotiation clusters in 2026 and said Ukraine expects no additional or excessive demands from the bloc.
- Talks covered tighter sanctions on Russia as well as reinforcement of Ukraine’s air defences and the production and supply of drones.
- EU institutions are reported to be finalizing the legal basis for a €90 billion two‑year loan to Ukraine, with further steps still constrained by intra‑EU politics, including objections from Hungary.