Greece's Cyprus intends to extend an invitation to Turkey for a summit meeting.
The Greek Cypriot leader, Nikos Christodoulides, has officially extended an invitation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to attend a regional summit planned for April 2026. This summit will be hosted by the Greek Cypriot administration during its rotating presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2026 and aims to discuss issues related to the Middle East.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Türkiye intervened militarily following a coup by Greek Cypriots who sought union with Greece. As a result, the northern part of Cyprus declared independence in 1983 as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a state recognized only by Türkiye. The Greek Cypriot administration in the south, calling itself the Republic of Cyprus, represents the entire island in the EU but exercises authority only over the southern part. There are no diplomatic relations between Ankara and Nicosia given the longstanding conflict, TRNC’s unilateral claim of sovereignty, and Türkiye’s military presence on the island.
Christodoulides emphasizes that "geography cannot be changed — Türkiye will always be a neighboring state to the Republic of Cyprus," signaling a pragmatic approach to foster dialogue despite decades of division. The invitation is aimed at bringing together regional leaders to discuss critical Middle Eastern developments, positioning Cyprus’s EU presidency as a potential platform for broader regional dialogue. It is a notable diplomatic gesture since Erdoğan and Christodoulides have never engaged in bilateral talks, only meeting in multilateral settings.
However, the invitation is expected to be rejected by Ankara, as no official response was given at the time of the announcement. Logistical and diplomatic challenges abound: Erdoğan’s visit to the south would be unprecedented, and the lack of diplomatic ties raises complex security and protocol issues. The invitation touches on the sensitive issue of sovereignty: Cyprus’s administration is not recognized by Türkiye, and Erdoğan continues to assert support for Turkish Cypriots’ rights and presence in the north. The summit arrangement underscores the unresolved conflict and the fragile status quo on the island.
In summary, the invitation by the Greek Cypriot leader to Turkey for a regional summit in 2026 represents a significant, albeit cautious, diplomatic gesture aimed at regional cooperation. However, it is deeply entangled in the historical conflict and ongoing political disputes over Cyprus, with diplomatic and logistical complications likely impacting the summit’s feasibility and Turkey’s participation. This event could either mark a tentative step toward engagement or reinforce the persistent division defining Cyprus-Turkey relations.
Migration and politics intersect as the invitation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a regional summit in 2026, aimed at discussing Middle Eastern issues, could potentially trigger shifts in conflict-ridden Cyprus, where war-and-conflicts have long shaped the border between the Greek Cypriot administration and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. General news will closely monitor any response to this diplomatic gesture and its implications for the fragile status quo on the island.
