Cyprus announced on Monday that it will invite longtime rival Turkey to a summit during its European Union presidency next year, despite the decades-old dispute over Ankara’s 1974 invasion and its continued support for a breakaway state in northern Cyprus.
Nicosia will hold the rotating EU presidency in the first six months of 2026 and plans a summit of regional leaders, including Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, on issues related to the Middle East, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said.
“You can’t change geography – Turkey will always be a neighbour state to the Republic of Cyprus .. Mr Erdogan will, of course, be welcome to this summit to discuss developments in the area,” he told journalists in Nicosia.
Christodoulides had earlier said the same in a British podcast aired on Monday in response to a question, saying the summit was planned for April 2026.
The Turkish presidency did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the invitation to Erdogan.
Cyprus and Turkey have no diplomatic relations, and hosting a Turkish president might prove challenging, both because of the diplomatic tightrope arising from past conflict and logistical issues.
The eastern Mediterranean island was partitioned by a Turkish invasion in 1974, sparked by a brief Greek-inspired coup, and Ankara supports a breakaway, unrecognised state in north Cyprus where it stations thousands of troops.
Christodoulides heads a Greek Cypriot administration that represents all of Cyprus within the EU, but with its powers stopping at a ceasefire line splitting the island into northern and southern sections. Erdogan has never visited the south.
Longstanding Rift
The decades-old rift between Turkey and Cyprus stems from the 1974 Turkish invasion of the island, a turning point that has left Cyprus divided ever since.
The conflict erupted after a Greek-backed coup attempted to unite Cyprus with Greece, prompting Turkey to intervene militarily, citing its role as a guarantor power under international agreements.
Following the invasion, Turkey seized control of the northern third of the island, leading to the displacement of thousands of Greek Cypriots and effectively partitioning Cyprus along ethnic lines.
In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was declared, recognised only by Turkey, while the international community continues to recognise the Republic of Cyprus as the sole legitimate authority over the entire island.
The division has remained one of Europe’s most intractable disputes, with numerous rounds of peace talks failing to produce a lasting solution.
The situation is further complicated by Turkey’s continued military presence in northern Cyprus and the island’s rich offshore energy resources, which have sparked additional tensions.
(With inputs from Reuters)
