Dendias in Cyprus: Agreement with Christodoulides on joint defense coordination

Following the informal meeting of European Union Defense Ministers, Nikos Dendias met with the President of Cyprus in Nicosia. The Defense Minister visited the presidential palace and congratulated Cyprus on exercising the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, while praising his counterpart Vasilis Palmas for the way he chaired the Council of Defense Ministers. He also emphasized that he feels at home, thanking Nikos Christodoulides for both the hospitality and the meetings during each visit. The President of Cyprus had already set the agenda for his discussions with Nikos Dendias, focusing on regional developments, the Cyprus issue, and Turkish reactions, making special reference to announcements from the Turkish Presidency and the pseudo-state.

Read: Nikos Dendias from Nicosia: I informed my EU counterparts about Turkish radio harassment

Dendias: Joint European defense and Ankara’s annoyance

Nikos Christodoulides specifically emphasized Europe’s turn toward defense and security issues, recalling that the need to strengthen European strategic autonomy was a subject of discussion during the period when both men served as Foreign Ministers. Indeed, his reference to the Turkish Presidency and the pseudo-state was by no means coincidental, as the European forces guarding Cypriot territory, especially the French forces that arrived three months ago under the SOFA agreement, have annoyed Ankara excessively. In fact, the potential foreign ministry of the pseudo-state does not accept this specific agreement for Turkish Cypriots and characterizes it as invalid, claiming it alters the security balance in Cyprus and the region. The President of the Republic of Cyprus believes the state can play a major role in joint European defense, while speaking of Turkey’s annoyance as Cyprus’s security is a European issue and cannot be relegated to a regional problem.

Nikos Dendias focused on the discussion about creating a common European security perception, developing defense programs, and strengthening the European Union’s defense capabilities. As he said, the goal is to defend the European Union as a space of democracy and protection of human rights. The meeting between Christodoulides and Dendias confirmed that Nicosia and Athens seek to integrate their joint defense coordination within the broader European framework. This is not just about bilateral cooperation between Greece and Cyprus, but an effort for the European Union to acquire real defense weight, with clear rules, common capabilities, and political will.

What the Archbishop of Cyprus requested

The Defense Minister also visited the Archbishopric of Cyprus, where he met with Archbishop George. In a post on X he wrote: “I had the blessing during my visit to Nicosia, where I participated in the informal Summit of EU Defense Ministers, to meet with the Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus, His Beatitude George II.” After discussing developments in the Cyprus issue, Greek media reported that Archbishop George asked Nikos Dendias not to withdraw the Greek forces that rushed to Cyprus following Iran’s attack on Akrotiri, and whether both the fighter aircraft and warships would remain on the island.