Cyprus on 1 January took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this comes “at a decisive moment for Europe”.
“His focus on strengthening Europe’s autonomy is therefore extremely important. I look forward to working together to improve Europe’s preparedness and competitiveness,” von der Leyen wrote on social media X.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a telephone conversation with Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulidis on 1 January. Zelensky expressed hope that during the Cypriot presidency “strong decisions will be taken that will strengthen Ukraine and the whole of Europe during these six months.”
“It is important that Ukraine is among the top priorities during the Cypriot presidency. Ukraine’s membership in the European Union is one of the security guarantees for us and we, for our part, always do what is necessary,” he added.
The Cypriot president visited Kiev in early December. Nicos Christodoulidis said at the time that a potential peace agreement to end the Russian Federation’s war should be based on respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that peace attempts should help promote “effective and substantial” support for Ukraine.