Ukraine Remains Top Priority as Cyprus Assumes EU Leadership
Cyprus has begun its six-month presidency of the EU, promising that Ukraine will remain a priority.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to The Guardian.
The small Mediterranean state seeks to demonstrate committed leadership, while offering “a different mindset” in addressing key issues for the bloc.
Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos stressed that small countries can make a significant contribution to diplomatic processes, and Cyprus is committed to making its presidency as effective as possible.
During Cyprus' presidency, special attention will continue to be paid to Ukraine, which has been suffering from Russian aggression for four years now. Cyprus' experience of conflict and occupation makes it particularly sensitive to the suffering of Ukrainians, and Kombos assured that the EU's agenda on Ukraine will remain a priority.
“The agenda is rightly about Ukraine and it will remain so,” emphasized Kombos.
At the same time, Cyprus plans to address broader Middle East issues, positioning itself as part of the region and seeking to balance European security policy with regional challenges.
Preparations for the presidency have been underway for more than two years, and Cypriot diplomats have set ambitious goals for developing internal infrastructure and international presence during their leadership.
During the first visit to Kyiv, President Nicos Christodoulides assured that Cyprus will do everything possible to promote Ukraine’s EU membership. He highlighted that any peace agreements to end the war must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in line with the UN Charter.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also expressed hope that its upcoming EU presidency would be historic for Ukraine as Cyprus and Ukarine have shared experience in defending territorial integrity.
Recently, Ukraine has entered a rapid-track mode for EU integration, moving forward despite Hungary’s veto. EU officials have found ways to bypass the blockade, allowing Kyiv to continue its accession work without formal consent from all member states.
A new mechanism called frontloading was introduced, enabling Ukraine to implement reforms and make technical progress toward membership even while Hungary blocks the formal opening of certain negotiation clusters. This ensures that practical work on integration continues uninterrupted.
As a result, Ukrainian officials now believe that EU accession talks could be completed in under two years, significantly faster than earlier forecasts.
As The Gaze reported earlier, the European Union is considering a new proposal that would allow countries to join the bloc without full voting rights in order to speed up enlargement and circumvent resistance from certain members.
Read more on The Gaze: Expert: “Fundamentals” Cluster Will Be the Hardest Stage of Ukraine’s EU Integration