The President of Cyprus called for strengthening the EU's mutual defense mechanism
Cyprus President Nicos Christodoulides has called for the strengthening of EU provisions on mutual assistance in the event of an attack on member states.
He made these remarks ahead of an informal EU summit.
This refers to Article 42.7, which provides for mutual defense among EU countries. According to Christodoulides, the EU needs a clear and practical action plan in case of its application.
He emphasized that the EU must give this provision real substance and define specific response mechanisms.
The Cypriot president also underscored the importance of developing the European Union’s strategic autonomy, noting that this is a key priority for regional security.
Cyprus, which is not a member of NATO, has previously been targeted by drone attacks amid the escalating situation in the Middle East.
On April 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Cyprus to participate in a special meeting of EU leaders. He is also expected to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Cypriot government has officially appealed to the United Kingdom to begin negotiations on changing the status of sovereign military bases on the island.
