Nikos Christodoulides, President of Cyprus, said the international order is challenged in an unprecedented manner as the world undergoes drastic, unpredictable geopolitical shifts.  “We stand before the rise of use of force against sovereign States that constantly escalates and expands, threatening regional security and stability,” he noted. While the UN has served a noble cause, it is crucial to recognize its shortcomings and “admit that we have lagged behind, that we have failed along the way, and these admissions need to steer us into action.”

Spotlighting the need for both collective and individual State responsibility, he said:  “This is the moment to renew our collective commitment and stand firmly and boldly in support of multilateralism and international law.”  Cyprus will assume, even more, the role of an enabler of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the greater Middle East, “determined to transform our geography in a complex region into a blessing.” He recalled the development of the Amalthea maritime corridor for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

As Cyprus will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in January 2026, he recalled:  “Europe’s heart will beat for six months from the Union’s last divided Member State, under occupation since the 1974 Turkish invasion.”  Stating that the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter must serve as a wake-up call, he called for collective action against aggressors no matter who they are.  “Each time we turn a blind eye to violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty of States anywhere in the world, we create space and opportunity for the next aggressor,” he emphasized, adding that the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation is equal to the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Türkiye.

“The playbook of occupiers is always the same,” he said, recalling the speech by Türkiye’s President a day earlier.  “Mr. Erdogan preached the world on peace and accountability — he pointed the finger to others, for crimes Türkiye itself commits every single day.”  He called on Türkiye’s President to end the occupation “through negotiations for a comprehensive settlement that will reunify Cyprus in a bizonal bicommunal federation with political equality.”