President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, described the European Council meeting held on Thursday in Brussels as ‘historic,’ noting that it was the first time that housing was discussed at this level. In statements after the summit, he said Cyprus had set out clear positions on the Middle East, European defence, competitiveness, and social policy.
The President referred extensively to his contacts during the working dinner with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, stressing that ‘for years, both we and Greece have insisted on the need to strengthen relations between Egypt and the EU.’ He said the first such summit was held on Wednesday night, and he was particularly pleased that ‘the Egyptian President referred specifically to the role of Cyprus and Greece.’
The main topic, he added, was the need for the EU to give substantial support to the U.S. President’s plan on Gaza. President Christodoulides said that, drawing on the Egyptian President’s positions, he presented the Cypriot proposal, which addresses three dimensions of the plan – humanitarian, reconstruction and security – with six concrete recommendations.
He said the proposal was drafted in coordination with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Egypt, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.
Cyprus, he noted, ‘has already been tested in this field and has delivered results,’ adding that the initiative holds particular significance for the European Commission and its President, who also discussed it with President al-Sisi.
Asked whether the Cypriot proposal on Gaza could become an EU proposal, Christodoulides said its implementation requires European support, the use of EU mechanisms, and cooperation with regional partners with whom Nicosia remains in close contact.
Until the conditions are in place for the full rollout of the Cypriot proposal, efforts are currently focused on the maritime humanitarian corridor, he said, stressing that the urgent issue is the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Defence and security: Cyprus’ three main positions
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On defence and security, President Christodoulides welcomed the fact that the EU ‘has moved beyond discussion and into concrete action.’
He outlined three key Cypriot positions.
The first is that the funding instruments such as SAFE must not be accessible to countries that occupy or threaten the sovereignty of EU member states.
The second is that NATO-EU cooperation must not exclude EU member states that are not part of NATO.
The third is that the EU must adopt a 360-degree approach, not focusing exclusively on Ukraine.
Regarding the SAFE programme and whether Turkish companies are excluded, Christodoulides clarified that Turkey’s state defence industry has already been barred for some time. He explained that participation of third countries in EU defence programmes requires a security agreement with the EU, approved unanimously by all 27 member states.
He added that Cyprus reiterated its position clearly at the summit, which was fully understood by both the EU institutions and member states.
Ambitious green goals and competitiveness
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Christodoulides said that competitiveness was one of the longest discussions of the summit. It was decided that an extraordinary informal Council on Competitiveness will take place in Brussels on 12 February.
He said that many member states, including Cyprus, stressed the need for the EU’s green targets to become more realistic.
‘Within this framework, and at our initiative, the conclusions now include a reference to the need to review certain EU decisions on green targets, which, if implemented as they stand, would raise electricity costs,’ he said, adding that many countries supported Cyprus’ proposal.
The President noted that while the EU’s green transition goals are ambitious, in some cases they are difficult to achieve within the given timeframe. Excessive ambition, he warned, could affect the EU’s competitiveness, as policies such as energy pricing may drive up electricity costs for households and businesses alike.
Housing discussed for the first time at the European Council
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Christodoulides described the summit as ‘historic’ because housing was addressed for the first time at the European Council.
He explained that, under a recent EU decision, existing cohesion funds may be reallocated toward three sectors: housing, defence, and electrical interconnections.
‘We expect the Commission President to present a plan on affordable housing in December,’ he said, noting that housing will be a priority for the Cypriot Presidency.
He announced that an informal Council of Housing Ministers will be held in Cyprus to discuss the use of EU resources for housing.
He also said the European Investment Bank is moving ahead with specific lending tools for housing, adding that the issue was discussed during its Board meeting in Limassol.
Ukraine, sanctions, and Turkey’s violations
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On Ukraine, the President reaffirmed Cyprus’ support to its sovereignty and territorial integrity and highlighted the need for countries linked to the EU not to circumvent sanctions.
He said he presented specific examples of Turkish actions aimed at evading EU sanctions, which undermines their effectiveness. ‘I provided concrete cases of such violations by Turkey and expressed readiness to share this information with EU institutions or any member state that wishes,’ he added.
Christodoulides noted that more than half of EU member states expressed concerns over the legal clarity of the decision to finance Ukraine from frozen Russian assets, and that the Commission will continue preparatory work before the issue returns to the European Council.
He stressed that sanctions are a powerful tool but must be enforced by all states, particularly those that are NATO members or aspire to join the EU.
On Turkey, he said there are no practical mechanisms to address sanctions circumvention, but countries with close relations with Ankara-as well as EU institutions-will raise the issue directly with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He noted that during a recent meeting between Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump, the latter made public reference to Turkey’s violations of sanctions.
Asked whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the first part of the discussion, reacted to the issue, Christodoulides said Zelensky ‘is fully aware of who is violating European or American sanctions.’