Cyprus to Host Turkey in Historic EU Summit Amid Longstanding Divide

Cyprus has announced its intention to invite Turkey to a regional summit during its tenure as the European Union presidency in 2026, signaling a potential thaw in decades-old animosities. The decision comes despite a history marked by Turkey's 1974 invasion and its support for a breakaway state on the island.

Speaking in Nicosia, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan would be welcomed to the summit, planned for April 2026, to discuss developments in the Middle East. This move acknowledges the immutable geographical proximity of Cyprus and Turkey.

The invitation, unexplored in recent history, poses diplomatic challenges due to the lack of formal relations between Cyprus and Turkey. The island remains divided by a ceasefire line since the Turkish invasion nearly half a century ago. Erdogan has not ventured south of this line.

(With inputs from agencies.)