Cyprus’s 2026 EU presidency: a strategic opening for Middle Eastern diplomacy

When Cyprus assumes the European Union presidency for the second time in January 2026, it will have an opportunity to shape EU priorities and influence events beyond the continent’s borders. The EU presidency rotates among member states every six months, enabling each to steer the EU Council’s agenda in the realms of foreign policy, economic coordination, and legislative priorities. Cyprus first held the presidency in 2012.

Since joining the EU in 2004, Cyprus has positioned itself at the diplomatic centre of Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Levant. As it takes over from Poland, Cyprus should prioritise issues that affect all three regions. In particular, its established role as an international mediator[1] uniquely positions it to direct EU efforts towards increasing stability in the Middle East.

Cyprus – an asset for EU mediation

Cyprus’s foreign relations priorities are a product of its history, geography, and demography. Its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, coupled with its diverse population, have enabled it to cultivate ties with countries and groups that are often at odds with one another. It maintains close ties with Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority. This gives Cyprus an advantage over other EU states. Its presidency, therefore, is a timely opportunity to place conflict resolution at the top of the EU’s agenda in 2026.

Boosting EU engagement in Middle East ceasefires

At a time when US diplomacy is still driving efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and sustain the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Cyprus could use its presidency to increase the EU’s diplomatic engagement. It could also build on any successes achieved by the Trump administration. It can draw on its intimate connections with Lebanon, Israel, and the Palestinians to push for durable ceasefires underpinned by the backing of the EU.

Supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty

Cyprus’s links with Lebanon are longstanding. During the Lebanese Civil War and Israeli invasions of Lebanon (1975–1990), approximately 100,000 Lebanese sought refuge in Cyprus with many settling in Larnaca and Limassol. In 2006, Cyprus facilitated the evacuation of nearly 60,000 civilians from Lebanon during the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. More recently, the 2020 Beirut port explosion prompted a new wave of migration to Cyprus. These ties give Cyprus diplomatic capital to encourage the new Lebanese government to fulfil its obligations to UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which in turn could unlock substantive EU financial, political, and diplomatic support. Beirut would require unequivocal backing from Brussels (and Washington) to address its complex relationship with Hezbollah and then extend full sovereignty to its southern borders – a Cyprus presidency could help deliver time-critical support.

Capitalising on shared interests with Israel

At the same time, Cyprus has formed a very close partnership with Israel based on security, energy, trade, and a mutual wariness of Turkey’s growing influence in the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean. The two countries cooperate on security issues and are invested in bringing the EuroAsia Interconnector online – a subsea cable designed to link the electricity grids of Cyprus, Greece, and Israel. They are also engaged in talks on financing the infrastructure required to deliver natural gas to European markets, and Israeli businesses, such as NewMed, hold stakes in the development of Cyprus’s largest offshore gas field, Aphrodite. Given these shared long-term commercial interests, Cyprus is well-placed to influence and guide Israeli policy towards Lebanon and the Palestinians and, when at the forefront of EU foreign policy, mobilise the full diplomatic force of the EU to support de-escalation and work towards conflict resolution.

Cyprus has already demonstrated its value as a diplomatic intermediary in proposing and establishing – with the backing of the US and regional states – the Amalthea initiative: a maritime humanitarian corridor between Larnaca and Gaza to deliver critical aid to Palestinians. To assuage Israeli security concerns, Cyprus arranged for aid shipments to be inspected in Cyprus by Israeli and US officials before departure, thus ensuring that only verified humanitarian supplies reached Gaza. At the same time, it worked to address Palestinian concerns that the corridor could be used to justify the displacement of Palestinians by emphasising that it was strictly humanitarian. Though short-lived, Amalthea showcases Cyprus’s ability to devise innovative, trusted solutions in a region marked by enduring tension and distrust.

Sustaining ties with the Palestinian Authority

Despite occasional political frictions, Cyprus has long maintained warm relations with the Palestinians. It recognised the Palestine Liberation Organisation in the mid-1970s and later supported the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. In fact, Nicosia has consistently advocated for a two-state solution and continues to offer the Palestinian Authority diplomatic backing in international fora.

Engaging Gulf partners

In recent years, Cyprus has developed strong partnerships with Saudi Arabia and Qatar – two adept mediators whose help will be key to any EU-led initiative to resolve conflicts in the Levant and, indeed, support Syria’s transition. Qatar has already provided political backing and financial support for the Amalthea initiative, which highlights growing diplomatic ties between Doha and Nicosia. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia – which views Cyprus as a bridge between the EU and the Middle East – set up a meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides on the sidelines of UNGA in 2024. Christodoulides met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to discuss matters of regional security and the Gaza conflict, and reaffirm Riyadh’s commitment to the two-state solution.

A Presidency with regional impact

Cyprus has eight months to prepare for its presidency and set the EU’s foreign policy agenda for the first six months of 2026. While the EU will remain focused on transatlantic relations, trade with China, and war in Ukraine, Cyprus can focus its efforts on Middle East stability – and potentially bring about change in the Levant. Drawing on its diplomatic ties with key regional actors – and building on its success with the Amalthea initiative – Cyprus is well placed to mediate ceasefires; support Lebanon’s sovereignty; advance the Palestinian cause; and, in the process, position the EU as a key diplomatic actor in fostering lasting peace in the region.

Notes:

[1] In May 2009, Cyprus hosted a UN International Meeting in Support of Israeli–Palestinian Peace in Nicosia and in October 2024, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos represented Cyprus at the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty in Paris, underscoring Cyprus’s commitment to diplomatic solutions and regional stability. ​