Newsroom
Cyprus is strengthening its ties with the United States, with Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos spending Tuesday in Washington meeting senior US lawmakers and taking part in policy discussions focused on regional stability and Cyprus’ role in Europe.
At the center of the talks were the growing Cyprus-US partnership, ongoing tensions in the Middle East and Cyprus’ upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In posts shared on X, Kombos said he had a series of meetings with influential members of the US Congress, stressing the strong support Cyprus enjoys across party lines, something Nicosia views as especially important at a time of regional uncertainty.
The foreign minister met with Senator Roger Wicker, head of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, to discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Kombos welcomed what he described as solid bipartisan support for Cyprus as a strategic partner of the US, particularly on security issues and regional stability.
Similar messages came out of his meeting with Senator Jerry Moran, where the focus was on deepening ties between Cyprus and the US and working together on shared priorities across the Atlantic.
Kombos also held talks with senior members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, including its chairman, Jim Risch, and senior member Jeanne Shaheen. According to his post, they discussed developments in the Middle East and how Cyprus can help support closer cooperation between Europe and the US during its EU Council presidency.
In the House of Representatives, Kombos met with Brian Mast, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Their discussion focused on regional developments and efforts to promote peace and stability in the wider Middle East.
Beyond meetings on Capitol Hill, the foreign minister also took part in discussions aimed at explaining Cyprus’ role as a link between Europe and the Middle East. He spoke at an event hosted by the Arab Gulf States Institute on Cyprus’ regional ties and transatlantic relations.
He also joined a panel discussion at the American Business Institute on how Cyprus plans to connect Europe and the Middle East during its EU presidency and took part in a roundtable at the Delphi Economic Forum looking at new trade routes linking India, the Middle East and Europe.
On the sidelines of his visit, Kombos briefly met Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, congratulating him on recent trade agreements with the US and the EU, calling them a sign of “effective diplomacy.”
The message from Washington was clear: Cyprus is working to position itself as a reliable partner in a complex region and as a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and key global players.
