Greek Cyprus plans to invite Türkiye to summit
NICOSIA
Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides arrives to attend the European Council in Brussels on June 26, 2025.
Greek Cyprus has announced that it intends to invite Türkiye to a regional summit during its upcoming presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2026, an offer Ankara is widely expected to decline.
Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said that his country plans a summit of regional leaders, including Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, on issues related to the Middle East.
"Geography cannot be changed — Türkiye will always be our neighbor. President Erdoğan is naturally welcome to join this summit," Christodoulides told reporters in Nicosia.
He had made similar remarks earlier on a British podcast aired the same day. The invitation comes despite the absence of diplomatic ties between Nicosia and Ankara, raising the prospect of political and logistical complications.
The Greek Cypriot government, led by Christodoulides, officially represents all of Cyprus within the EU, although its authority only extends to the southern part of the island due to a decades-old division.
The island has been divided since 1974, when Türkiye, acting as a guarantor power, launched a military operation following a coup by Greek Cypriots seeking union with Greece. Turkish forces remain stationed in the north, which declared independence as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in 1983 — a state recognized only by Türkiye.
Last month, Erdoğan visited Turkish Cyprus to attend a major technology festival organized by a Turkish foundation. There, he reaffirmed his support for Turkish Cyprus’ pursuit of equal sovereign rights on the island.
