Joining Nato would be a natural development for Cyprus, according to President Nikos Christodoulides. In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, he expressed strong aspirations for the island’s accession to the military alliance.
Christodoulides stated, “If it were possible for Cyprus to apply tomorrow and receive a positive response from all member states, we would do so.” However, he acknowledged the significant hurdle posed by the unresolved Cyprus problem, which he believes would lead Turkey to veto any application.
In light of this, the President revealed that efforts are underway to enhance Cyprus’s military capabilities to align more closely with those of existing Nato members. He noted, “For this reason, we are working methodically to strengthen our military to bring it up to the level of other Nato members, while we wait for the political conditions to be met for us to join the organisation.”
Christodoulides highlighted that Cyprus has already established a clear foreign policy, significantly leaning towards the West. The notion of joining Nato gained traction following his meeting with former US President Joe Biden at the White House last year. Reports indicated that during this meeting, Christodoulides presented a plan for Cyprus’s future accession to Nato.
Post-meeting, he reiterated that Cyprus was preparing for Nato membership, contingent on Turkey retracting its objections. However, these aspirations were met with resistance from Turkey, whose defence ministry declared that Cypriot membership in Nato would be “unacceptable” and could disrupt the fragile balance regarding the Cyprus issue.
Shifting focus away from the potential for Nato membership, Cyprus has been actively reorienting its defence strategy towards the West. At the beginning of the year, the United States granted the island permission to procure military hardware directly from its government, marking a significant step in its defence policy.
Cyprus was integrated into several US defence programmes, including the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, the Excess Defence Articles (EDA) programme, and is set to receive resources under the US’s Title 10 security assistance provisions. These initiatives are designed to bolster Cyprus’s military infrastructure and capabilities.
In the autumn, the National Guard received the Israeli Barak MX air defence system, a sophisticated surface-to-air missile capable of defending against a wide range of airborne threats. This acquisition further solidifies Cyprus’s position within the US defence ecosystem and reflects its commitment to enhancing its military readiness.