​The Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at a defining moment for both Europe and its wider neighborhood. To the east, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has entered its fifth year. To the south, escalating tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf are generating significant economic and strategic challenges for the European Union. These developments underscore the renewed urgency of strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy, a central theme of the Cyprus Presidency and a key pillar of the initiatives Cyprus seeks to advance within the European framework.

In this EPC Thought Leadership Forum, President Nikos Christodoulides will outline the Cyprus Presidency’s vision and priorities for advancing the EU’s agenda in the coming months – including on security, defence and enlargement – from the perspective of the Union’s south-easternmost member state. He will also address the implications of developments in the Middle East and the Gulf for regional and European security, and present Cyprus’ contributions towards peace and stability in the region as a country with longstanding humanitarian engagement and regional partnerships.

Finally, President Christodoulides will discuss the latest developments in efforts to reunify Cyprus through a comprehensive settlement in line with UN Security Council Resolutions and EU law. He will highlight the role the EU can play in supporting the reunification of its last member state divided by occupation.

This event welcomes the participation of EPC member organisations, EU institutions and media.

For media enquiries, please contact media@epc.eu.

For other queries, please contact events@epc.eu.