Statements by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, following the Informal Meeting of Heads of State or Government

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Nikos Christodoulides, following the Informal Meeting of Heads of State or Government on 24 April 2026, at Filoxenia Conference Centre in Lefkosia, made the following remarks to media representatives:

"Allow me to begin by noting that it is a moment of deep significance to welcome to Cyprus my colleagues from the 26 member states and the leadership of the European Union (EU) institutions.

This is, in fact, the first time that Cyprus is hosting an Informal Meeting of the EU Heads of State or Government.  And it is a moment of pride for my country.  The same sense of pride and responsibility with which we have undertaken our institutional responsibility of the Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The Informal Meeting began yesterday, in the partially occupied Ammochostos district, at Agia Napa. And today, we stand together in Lefkosia, a European capital – the last divided on the European continent – that serves as a mirror for Europe’s greatest challenges, and, at the same time, of its most profound successes. 
It is actually this experience, of living in conditions of occupation, that fuels our deep-rooted conviction in the European project and further European integration.

And this is precisely what this moment calls for: more European Integration and a more Strategically Autonomous, Independent Union. And this, is at the heart of the Cyprus Presidency and encapsulated in our motto – a more Autonomous Union, Open to the World.  

And this was the common theme underpinning our discussions last night and this morning. 

Last night we began with an exchange with President Zelenskyy and underlined our steadfast support to Ukraine.

We are very pleased that we have delivered on the 90 billion loan for Ukraine, a file that the Cyprus Presidency worked with urgency to implement, following the December European Council. Support to Ukraine, across the board, is a key priority of our Presidency, because we stand in defence of international legality, wherever it is violated and Cyprus has a first-hand understanding of the devastating consequences of invasion and occupation.

Last night, we continued our exchange with addressing the geopolitical developments following the war in Iran and the Greater Middle East and, most importantly, how we, as a Union, respond for de-escalation, for lasting peace, for safeguarding freedom of navigation. 

In fact, developments in our region remind us that in an interconnected world, there is no such thing as a crisis that does not concern us. The disruption of maritime routes and of freedom of navigation in our region are economic shocks felt at every European household. 

And so, I reject any narrative that disassociates Europe from these developments, because this is our neighbourhood. 

Dear Friends,

Our discussions these two days, highlighted and reinforced two core issues – first, this neighbourhood is vital for the EU, and second, Strategic Autonomy, in all its aspects, is a necessary next step of European integration that we must give substance to.

In this regard, energy featured prominently in our discussions. 

On the one hand, in the immediate short term, how we tackle, through specific measures, energy prices, as a result of the crisis in the region and, on the other hand, in the medium and long run, how we build up our Energy Union, which is a key component of our Union’s Independence. 

Starting with the short-term measures on energy prices, we held a very productive discussion, on the bases of the comprehensive and timely toolbox announced by the Commission, which the President of the Commission presented. 

And on the long run, for building up a true Energy Union, we work to accelerate our interconnectivity to effectively end our energy dependencies. In this context, the Cyprus Presidency is working diligently on the Grids package. 

Hand in hand with this work, and serving our overall goal for enhancing our competitiveness, because we can be more Independent only if we can be more Competitive, this morning I signed, on behalf of the Council, together with President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament the “One Market, One Europe” Roadmap presented by the European Commission. 

This roadmap is comprehensive, has concrete timelines of delivery, and constitutes a strong signal of our collective determination to truly boost European competitiveness. The Cyprus Presidency has acted with urgency and ambition on this agenda, and will continue working tirelessly, building consensus, to advance a deeper, stronger Single Market.

During our discussion, and in light of regional developments and the strong European solidarity in action to Cyprus, we all agreed that our collective security cannot remain a dormant concept on paper.

All of us agreed, that when the sovereignty of one member state is threatened, the response is not a question of “if”, but “how fast”. Therefore, we cannot continue to rely on ad-hoc arrangements. We must formalise the Mutual Defence Clause into a structured operational mechanism, and be capable of transforming political statements into predictable action. By operationalising Article 42(7) through a clear manual, that ensures that the Union acts as a credible guarantor of security.

And we know very well, that we cannot fund the Security and Prosperity of the future with the tools of the past. To give true substance to our sovereignty, we must have the financial backbone to support it. 

Therefore, today we focused on the “financial equation” of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF): how to match our Union’s growing ambitions with the appropriate level of resources.

As Presidency, we are ready to do the difficult work, we have laid significant groundwork, bridging positions around key issues. We have already tabled a targeted revision of the Negotiating Box, addressing key issues.  This work provides a solid basis for the next phase of our negotiations.

We will further accelerate and intensify our work in the coming weeks, with the aim of presenting a Negotiating Box with figures at the June European Council. 

Our objective is clear: to deliver a mature file to our Irish partners, so as to move steadily towards a political agreement by the end of 2026. 

Dear Friends, 

When Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, it was the most important milestone in our modern history, following our independence in 1960.

Today, as we host the first European Council in Cyprus, we do so with the conviction that a Stronger, more Autonomous, Independent Europe is the only path forward. 

And that this Union has the power, the resilience, the tools and the vision to make it a reality. 

We have proven, time and again, that we transform challenge into opportunity. 

That is what this moment calls for. That is what we will deliver.

Thank you."

Press conference