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A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has reintroduced the “End the Cyprus Embargo Act,” aiming to extend the arms embargo waiver on Cyprus from an annual renewal to a five-year period. The bill, led by members of the Greek Affairs Caucus including Reps. Chris Pappas, Gus Bilirakis, Dina Titus, and Nicole Malliotakis, seeks to deepen U.S.-Cyprus military cooperation and enhance regional security in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Currently, the U.S. President must certify yearly that Cyprus meets conditions under the 2019 East Med Security and Energy Partnership Act to lift the embargo. The proposed legislation would allow automatic renewal every five years, unless Congress is notified of Cyprus’s failure to cooperate on key issues such as combating money laundering, financial reforms, and denying Russian military access.
Supporters say the change would enable Cyprus to plan long-term defense procurements, improve interoperability with U.S. forces, and strengthen bilateral security ties. The initiative has backing from major Greek-American organizations, which praise Cyprus as a stable democratic ally vital to regional stability.
