Cyprus’s participation in the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit for Gaza, taking place on Monday under the joint auspices of the Egyptian and U.S. presidents, marks a significant diplomatic moment for the Republic. The country is being called upon to contribute to the reconstruction of the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
Located only a few miles from Gaza, Cyprus is emerging as a natural bridge between Europe and the Middle East, both geographically and politically.
A wider security equation
The Gaza crisis has evolved into a global security and humanitarian challenge, with the United States now playing an active role in efforts to contain the conflict and stabilise the region. In this shifting geopolitical landscape, Cyprus cannot remain static.
The continued Turkish occupation restricts Nicosia’s ability to play a more active role in shaping policies that directly affect maritime security, migration management and energy connectivity. Within this new framework, resolving the Cyprus issue would also serve Turkey’s interests. The key question is whether this changing dynamic could create the conditions for reviving political dialogue on the Cyprus problem.
If the security of Gaza is a precondition for the security of the entire Eastern Mediterranean, then resolving the Cyprus problem becomes part of that broader strategic equation. A sustainable rapprochement between Nicosia and Ankara, even indirectly, could strengthen regional stability and integrate Cyprus into a new framework of cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean.
A shared diplomatic stage
The presence of the Greek Prime Minister, and the Presidents of Cyprus and Turkey at the same summit, creates a diplomatic environment that could be leveraged to promote dialogue. Recent informal meetings between Christodoulides and Erdoğan have shown that communication channels, however limited, remain open.
But challenges persist. Turkey ultimately holds the key to a Cyprus solution. Yet, the evolving international environment, with its renewed focus on regional stability, security, and collective approaches to Middle Eastern crises, could generate incentives to resolve the Cyprus problem in a way that enhances the wider security architecture of the region.
The open question is whether this new dynamic can translate into real opportunities for progress, and whether Cyprus and Greece have a coherent strategy to seize the moment and move closer to ending the occupation.