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In a surprising move that could mark a shift in regional diplomacy, Cyprus plans to invite Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to a high-level summit in 2026, despite the island's bitter, decades-long division with Turkey.
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed Monday that Erdogan would be welcome at a regional leaders’ summit to be hosted in Nicosia during Cyprus' turn at the European Union presidency in the first half of 2026. The meeting, set for April, will focus on Middle East issues and regional cooperation.
“You can't change geography,” Christodoulides told reporters in Nicosia. “Turkey will always be our neighbor. President Erdogan will, of course, be welcome to take part in discussions about developments in the region.”
The gesture is a bold one, considering Cyprus and Turkey haven’t had diplomatic ties since 1974, when Turkey invaded the northern part of the island following a short-lived coup backed by Greece. Since then, Cyprus has been divided, with Ankara supporting a breakaway state in the north that no country except Turkey recognizes. Thousands of Turkish troops are still stationed there.
Cyprus, a member of the EU since 2004, is represented internationally by the Greek Cypriot government in the south. The government’s authority, however, does not extend beyond the UN-controlled buffer zone that splits the island.
A Turkish response to the invitation has yet to come. Erdogan has never visited the Republic-controlled south, and hosting him would involve both political and logistical challenges, especially given the sensitivities of past conflicts and ongoing tensions.
Still, Christodoulides insists the invitation is a step toward engagement, not endorsement.
“We’re not ignoring the past,” he said in a recent podcast interview. “But we have to deal with the present and plan for the future.”
Whether Erdogan accepts the invitation remains to be seen, but the announcement alone is already turning heads in diplomatic circles, especially in a region where old wounds still shape today’s alliances.
*With information from JPost.com
