Antalya:Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides engaged in discussions with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the COP31 Leaders' Summit in Antalya, Turkey. The meeting focused on several critical issues, including the Cyprus problem, EU-Turkey relations, and Cyprus' potential accession to the Schengen Area.

According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides also informed von der Leyen about the absence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his arrival at the Summit venue. This absence was noted earlier when President Christodoulides was welcomed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, rather than jointly with the Turkish President, as initially planned by protocol.

The meeting was attended by several key figures, including Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and the President's Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue to Asia and Africa, Nikos Tornaritis, along with other officials. Government sources expressed that Erdogan's early departure from the venue was perceived as a sign of disrespect towards the United Nations and a demonstration of weakness.

Additionally, these sources mentioned that the UN Secretary-General had expressed his intention to convene a trilateral meeting with the leaders, with efforts underway to identify a suitable date upon his return from a trip to the Philippines. The background context of the Cyprus issue was also highlighted, noting that Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey's invasion and occupation of its northern third, with numerous UN-led peace talks failing to achieve a resolution. Moreover, Turkey's non-recognition of the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member state since 2004, was underscored as a continuing point of contention.