Newsroom
After a more relaxed evening of talks over dinner in Ayia Napa, EU leaders rolled up their sleeves in Nicosia on Friday, shifting from pleasantries to the hard politics of money, energy and war.
Day two of the informal summit, now taking place at the Filoxenia Conference Center, opened with a clear message: Europe has a lot on its plate, and not everyone sees the solution the same way.
As leaders arrived, their priorities came into focus quickly.
French President Emmanuel Macron zeroed in on the Middle East, calling for stronger European support for Lebanon and announcing plans for a conference to coordinate aid and stability efforts across the region. The aim, he said, is not just diplomacy, but restoring confidence in global markets shaken by ongoing tensions.
Germany, meanwhile, kept its eyes firmly on the numbers.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz made it clear that tough conversations lie ahead over the EU’s long-term budget. With the next financial framework set to shape spending from 2028, he warned that new priorities will likely mean cuts elsewhere and ruled out increasing debt or issuing joint European bonds.
Spain struck a different tone altogether.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pointed to the Middle East crisis as proof that force alone doesn’t work, urging stronger commitment to international law and cooperation. On energy, he pushed for a faster shift toward renewables, arguing it’s the only real way to bring prices down and boost Europe’s independence.
That concern over costs was echoed by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who warned that expensive energy is putting European industry at a disadvantage compared to the U.S. and Asia.
From the Baltic side, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa highlighted security, welcoming EU support for Ukraine but stressing that Europe needs to strengthen its own capabilities in an increasingly unstable world.
Across the board, the tone was consistent: urgency, pressure, and differing ideas on what comes next.
For Cyprus, hosting both the seaside dinner in Ayia Napa and now the working session in Nicosia, the summit puts the island right at the center of Europe’s biggest conversations.
