Copenhagen: Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, highlighted the critical role of the European Union’s Readiness 2030 initiative and the SAFE Regulation in bolstering European security during an informal European Council session on Defence and Security in Copenhagen.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Victoras Papadopoulos, President Christodoulides condemned recent Russian airspace violations over EU territory, expressing solidarity with the affected member states and emphasizing the threat these actions pose to the Union’s security. He stressed that initiatives like Readiness 2030 and the SAFE Regulation are essential tools for realizing the EU’s defence and security goals.
President Christodoulides further committed the Cypriot Government to maintaining momentum in these initiatives, especially during Cyprus’ upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU. He asserted that countries threatening EU member states’ security should not participate in EU security mechanisms.
Addressing the Readiness 2030 initiative, he noted Cyprus’s support for closer cooperation with NATO, despite not being a NATO member, emphasizing that such collaboration should ensure equal treatment for all EU member states. He also pointed out the EU’s need to focus on critical regions like the Middle East, with Cyprus aiming to strengthen strategic actors within the Military Mobility initiative.
Under the SAFE Regulation, President Christodoulides revealed plans for Cyprus to upgrade its naval infrastructure and air bases, enhancing the EU’s collective security and readiness. On the conflict in Ukraine, he condemned the ongoing Russian missile attacks targeting civilians and called for a peaceful resolution respecting the UN Charter’s principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
President Christodoulides concluded by reaffirming Cyprus’s readiness to contribute constructively to developing a comprehensive European security framework.