NICOSIA — Cyprus announced on Monday that it plans to invite Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to a regional summit during its European Union presidency in 2026, marking a potentially historic moment amid decades of political tension between the two nations.
President Nikos Christodoulides said the summit, which will focus on developments in the Middle East, is scheduled for April 2026 and will be held under Cyprus’s rotating presidency of the EU during the first half of that year.
Speaking to reporters in Nicosia, Christodoulides emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, stating that geography cannot be altered and that Turkey will always remain a neighboring country to Cyprus. “President Erdogan will, of course, be welcome to attend this summit to discuss regional developments,” he said.
The announcement was also reiterated by Christodoulides in a British podcast released on Monday, in which he addressed questions about the upcoming summit and regional diplomacy. While the Turkish presidency has not yet responded to the invitation, the prospect of Erdogan attending a summit in Cyprus is significant. The two countries have had no diplomatic relations for decades, and such a visit would be the first of its kind. The logistics and political sensitivities surrounding the visit could pose challenges.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern part of the island following a coup backed by Greece. Turkey continues to support the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, a state not recognized internationally, and maintains a military presence there.
Christodoulides leads the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government, which represents Cyprus in the EU but exercises authority only in the island’s southern region. The northern part remains under Turkish control, and Erdogan has never visited the southern, government-controlled area of Cyprus. The proposed summit could serve as a diplomatic opening, although historical grievances and current geopolitical divides are likely to influence whether the Turkish leader accepts the invitation.