The need to resolve outstanding issues regarding the management of the Aphrodite-Ishai gas fields, the possibility of launching the construction of the Cyprus-Israel leg of the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, as well as Turkey’s actions in the region were discussed by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, during their bilateral meeting on Monday in Jerusalem, the Cyprus News Agency has learnt.
The purchase of military equipment from Israel and joint ventures between Israeli and Cypriot companies to obtain funds from the SAFE EU programme, were also discussed.
Nicosia assesses as very important the bilateral meeting between President Christodoulides and the Israeli Prime Minister, according to CNA information. The meeting took place before the Cyprus-Greece-Israel Trilateral Summit in Jerusalem.
According to sources, during the meeting, pending issues regarding the management of the Aphrodite-Ishai gas fields were discussed while the intention was expressed to resolve the issue by the end of January. The Republic of Cyprus sent its final comment last week, it was noted.
There was also extensive discussion on the GSI project, with the same sources not ruling out starting the project from the Cyprus-Israel leg, which is smaller, comparing with the Cyprus-Greece leg. Therefore, it is considered that it will take less time and money, according to the same sources.
In this context, the Israeli Prime Minister will discuss this issue with the US President, Donald Trump, during his visit to the White House on December 29, and the interconnection of this project with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and specifically with the creation of the Cyprus-Israel-Jordan-Saudi Arabia-India network.
President Christodoulides also suggested Lebanon’s inclusion in the network, the same sources said.
The two leaders discussed about Lebanon, Syria and Iran at length, with the same sources noting that the Israeli Prime Minister expressed concern and strong dissatisfaction with Turkey’s actions and involvement in the region, including through its support for groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, something that, other countries in the region too, such as Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon are not happy with, and consider dangerous.
Netanyahu’s reference during the three leaders’ joint statements after the Trilateral Summit ‘to those who imagine they can restore their empires and dominate our countries again’, concerned Turkey, the same sources noted. They said that this is the reading of both Nicosia and Egypt, since Turkey tried to derail the agreement of the Republic of Cyprus with Lebanon on the delimitation of their Exclusive Economic Zones through Hezbollah, while it is trying to control Syria.
During the meeting, the possibility of purchasing three types of military equipment, systems that are very important for the National Guard, was also discussed, the sources said.
There was also discussion of joint exercises between Cyprus and Israel and the possibility of Israeli companies forming joint ventures with Cypriot companies to access EU funds under the SAFE programme.
According to the same sources, the Israeli Prime Minister requested assistance from the Cyprus EU Presidency to change Israel’s image in Europe.
He also expressed Israel’s desire to participate in the EU firefighting center that will be based in Cyprus, the sources said.
‘The timing of the Trilateral Summit is crucial for the Republic of Cyprus’
The timing of the Cyprus-Greece-Israel Trilateral Summit is crucial for the Republic of Cyprus, as it takes place a few days before the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, while it coincides with intense political activity in foreign policy, in the Eastern Mediterranean and Gulf region, sources told CNA.
For the Republic of Cyprus, the Summit underlines its role as a reliable partner, as a pillar of security, while, in view of its the Presidency of the Council of the EU, as a member state that can effectively link the Eastern Mediterranean with European political priorities in energy, interconnectivity, security and resilience, they said.
Noting that this was the first Summit at the level of leaders since the 9th Trilateral in Nicosia a few weeks before the terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, and the broader regional escalation that followed, the sources said that within these two years, the need is more evident for an Eastern Mediterranean with more stable rules of security, interconnectivity and political understanding, and the Republic of Cyprus functioning as a reliable pillar and European gateway in the region.
The main political objective of the Summit was to reaffirm the strategic framework of the scheme, which extends and covers topics such as energy, economy, defence, cybersecurity, maritime security, civil protection and crisis management, it was noted.
The same sources also said that the prospect of reviving and upgrading the 3+1 cooperation format – among the three countries and the US – is emerging.
In the energy sector and more broadly in the field of infrastructure and interconnectivity, the Summit provided an opportunity for political impetus for electrical interconnection and digital connectivity projects, such as the GSI and submarine telecommunications cables, as well as for synergies that are aligned with the IMEC, they said. The same sources noted that significant momentum is being created by the signing of the Cyprus-Lebanon EEZ Delimitation Agreement on November 26, 2025, a development that, as noted, strengthens regional energy security, supports regional stability and creates conditions for next steps in cross-border arrangements and energy planning.
Regarding Gaza, it was noted that Cyprus is promoting its comparative advantage as a secure European hub, with capabilities in logistics, port services, transportation, storage, and special training, including the utilisation of structures such as CYCLOPS in Larnaka, Cyprus, in synergy with other European states and international organizations. In this context, the ‘Amalthea’ humanitarian corridor is recorded as an operational example of predictability and effectiveness, with recent missions and total quantities that have reached 30,000 tons of humanitarian aid since the activation of the plan, the same sources said.
It was also noted that decisions with implementation horizon within 2026 aimed at strengthening resilience, preparedness and a common operational culture, such as the creation of the Maritime Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Cyprus, the establishment of working groups for Emergency Preparedness, and for health issues, and a joint exercise within 2026 to address maritime pollution incidents, among other things, strengthen the essence of the scheme and offer substance to areas of direct public interest, from cybersecurity to civil protection and the protection of the marine environment.