According to Greek Cypriot daily ‘Haravgi’, Christodoulides made the statement in response to media questions, acknowledging ongoing but previously undisclosed discussions with the US. He attributed the island’s inability to join NATO to Turkey’s longstanding opposition, which has hindered the National Guard’s modernisation and access to armament opportunities.
Christodoulides highlighted plans to enhance deterrence capabilities, leveraging strategic partnerships with the US, NATO, and the EU. He referenced advanced talks on upgrading the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base in Mari and the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos, receiving positive responses from the US. He also hinted at imminent developments in defence and security.
When asked about a NATO membership timeline, he replied, “The less we discuss it, the closer we get.”
While NATO membership dominates public debate, Greek Cypriot daily ‘Phileleftheros’ noted that formal accession remains off the table. However, closer US ties are seen as an opportunity to boost the National Guard’s defence capabilities, aligning it with NATO standards and strengthening Cyprus’s regional role.
Opposition party AKEL criticised Christodoulides for pursuing NATO membership without transparency, questioning its impact on the Cyprus problem and Cyprus’s geopolitical position. They argued that NATO affiliation could undermine relations with key UN Security Council members and turn the island into a military target.
The Turkish Ministry of National Defence also issued a warning, stating that Cyprus’s NATO membership would harm efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue. Alithia reported that the Greek Cypriot administration’s focus on NATO membership risks derailing preparatory work for an expanded Cyprus conference, agreed upon during the recent New York discussions. Meanwhile, Politis summarised the controversy under the headline, “President Opens Up on NATO Membership.”
