On Wednesday 18 March, the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, called for the creation of a ‘coalition of the willing’ from European and Middle Eastern countries to find ways of calming the situation in the region.
“We need to do something in order to de-escalate. We are discussing the possibility of launching an initiative similar to the Coalition of the Willing (for Ukraine)”, announced the President during a discussion at the EPC, adding that he was currently in talks with several EU leaders and countries in the region on this subject.
According to the President, “the countries of the region, the European countries that have a special interest in the region, could formulate a proposal to defuse the crisis”. He added that the countries of the Middle East were waiting for such an initiative from the EU. “This is a test for us, as the European Union, of whether we want to play a role in the region”, he added.
More broadly, Mr Christodoulides felt that the region needed to be approached “as a true partnership”. “This region is one of the EU’s neighbours. And the countries of the region expect the EU to see them as partners and not - I’m sorry, that’s how they see it - as a neo-colonial model”, he explained. The President explained that, according to the countries in the region, when it comes to sending military equipment, there is no problem, but when it comes to cooperation, the EU imposes a “multitude” of conditions.
Asked about the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the informal Summit in Cyprus in April, when a meeting will be held between European leaders and Middle Eastern partners, Mr Christodoulides was pessimistic. Expressing his readiness to receive Mr Erdoğan, he explained that before sending an invitation, he had asked certain European leaders “who have excellent relations with President Erdoğan” to sound him out on his availability. “Initial reactions have not been positive”, he admitted.
According to Mr Christodoulides, a solution to the Cyprus problem will only be possible when Türkiye understands that “the benefits of a solution to the Cyprus problem far outweigh the benefits they derive from the current situation”. “And this is an important role for the European Union to play”, he added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)