Jerusalem: On Monday, the leaders of Cyprus, Greece, and Israel expressed their determination to continue and deepen cooperation despite geopolitical challenges, following the Trilateral Summit between the three countries, which took place in Jerusalem. They also expressed their determination to promote the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, linking it to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
According to Cyprus News Agency, at a joint press conference following the summit, the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, emphasised that the three countries reaffirmed the strategic nature of their alliance, which is founded on shared values, mutual interests, and converging aspirations. He noted that this alliance is guided by the vision of regional integration, prosperity, stability, and security.
He further noted that the trilateral structure had matured, deepening cooperation in areas such as energy and interconnectivity, security and defence, maritime cooperation, crisis response and civil protection, innovation and cybersecurity, and people-to-people contacts. He also expressed his satisfaction that the re-established Trilateral Secretariat in Nicosia now provides an institutional framework for action groups and working groups to finalise and implement pending agreements.
Regarding the situation in Gaza, the President expressed the "unwavering support to President Trump's 20-point plan and the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803" by all three parties. He highlighted Cyprus's role in the humanitarian sector through the Amalthea project, emphasising that Nicosia continues to support the provision of humanitarian aid, security and rapid recovery efforts through the six-point plan first presented at the Sharm El Sheikh Peace Summit in October.
This plan is fully aligned with President Trump's initiative and our active participation in the Civil-Military Coordination Centre is also in line with it, the President said, adding that this participation "is always conducted with full respect for Israel's legitimate security needs". President Christodoulides went on to say that energy and interconnectivity were also central themes during the discussions.
'We reaffirmed the strategic importance of the Great Sea Interconnector project and broader electricity and energy interconnection projects, particularly IMEC, in which Cyprus, Greece and Israel act as a Mediterranean link providing a south-eastern gateway that connects Europe to the Middle East and beyond,' he emphasised. He added that these initiatives strengthen trilateral and regional cooperation, support diversification and enhance regional resilience, all of which, as he said, are fully in line with the common goal of achieving secure, sustainable and interconnected energy markets.
Referring to maritime security, President Christodoulides said that 'we emphasised our commitment to strengthening cooperation on protecting maritime routes and critical infrastructure, and we welcomed the establishment of the Trilateral Centre of Excellence for Maritime Cybersecurity in Cyprus, due to open in 2026'. He also highlighted the added value of the 3+1 format with the United States, emphasising that it strengthens trilateral cooperation and aligns it with the broader regional architecture.
The President said, 'we discussed cooperation in defence and security, particularly within the 3+1 framework, while recognising that much more can be achieved in counterterrorism, cybersecurity and energy security, with the ultimate goal of supporting regional stability.' President Christodoulides also noted that the summit took place just eight days before Cyprus was due to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. "I therefore had the opportunity to exchange ideas bearing in mind that one of our key priorities will be to further strengthen the EU's relations with the region, including Israel", he added.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, stressed that the meeting was the tenth, not the first, and considered it the most important of all that preceded. He noted that 'the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean are being tested by aggression, terrorism, and instability', but the three countries' cooperation 'also offers new opportunities for prosperity. We are working together and have discussed cooperation in many areas in detail, such as energy, technology and connectivity, as well as security, which guarantees all of these'.
Referring to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the Israeli leader expressed his confidence that it would become a reality. 'As part of this effort,' he said, "we are promoting the Great Sea Interconnector cable, which will enable our three countries, Europe, and the Arabian Peninsula to cooperate in the field of electricity, and ultimately Asia'. He added that the leaders discussed how to proceed practically and intend to move forward with it.
The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in his remarks that all three countries are committed to strengthening regional security through diplomatic and stabilising efforts. 'We discussed the broader developments in the region', he added. Noting the situation in Lebanon, he emphasised the support that Greece provides to the country's armed forces, while with regard to Syria, he said that 'one year after the fall of the Assad regime, we emphasised that the restoration of security and stability, as well as full respect for the rights of all religious and ethnic communities, including Orthodox communities in the Middle East who have suffered persecution in Syria, must be a key parameter for a sustainable political solution'.
In closing, he expressed his satisfaction with 'the extremely successful trilateral cooperation'. 'This cooperation has stood the test of time, proven resilient, and continues to contribute significantly to stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean, despite the geopolitical challenges that also create a significant window of opportunity for shaping a regional security architecture that can bring peace and prosperity," concluded the Greek Prime Minister.