Berlin: Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are expected to discuss the Cyprus issue, Cyprus’ EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2026, and bilateral ties during a meeting they will have in Berlin on Friday, reliable sources have said. The President’s visit in Berlin, they note, “constitutes a crucial moment in promoting Cypriot priorities ahead of the EU Council Presidency.”
According to Cyprus News Agency, the visit offers an opportunity to enhance the bilateral strategic relationship and allows Cyprus to put forward its positions on matters which directly affect European security, stability, and political cohesion. The same sources add that Germany is a crucial partner in the planning and success of the European agenda for Cyprus, which is preparing to assume the EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2026.
The visit will provide a chance for coordination with one of the most powerful European capitals at a moment when decisions regarding the EU’s future, security, enlargement, and the EU-Turkey relationship will define Europe’s course for the coming years. The timing of the meeting, two weeks after the German Chancellor’s visit to Ankara, is of particular importance.
President Christodoulides will be accompanied to the meeting by Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis, Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna, Cyprus’ Ambassador to Germany Maria Papakyriacou, and head of his Diplomatic Office Doros Venezis. Regarding the Cyprus issue, the President is expected to brief Merz on the most recent developments following the new Turkish Cypriot leader’s assumption of duties and ahead of the visit of UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy Maria Angela Holguin to Cyprus in early December in preparation for a multilateral meeting.
In the context of the European Council’s Conclusions in 2024 about EU-Turkish relations, their clear connection with substantive progress in the Cyprus issue will be emphasized, and ways of achieving further progress by breaking Turkey’s intransigent stance on the Cyprus issue are expected to be discussed. The President is expected to underline that the solution of the Cyprus problem is not just a concern for Cyprus but is intrinsically linked with the EU’s south-eastern borders’ security and stability. The importance of more active EU engagement will also be stressed, particularly following the appointment of Johannes Han as EU Envoy.
In the context of the discussion, the Cypriot side expects to be informed about the outcomes of the visit, while the leading role Turkey has played in circumventing sanctions against Russia, a matter important for European agencies and previously brought up by President Christodoulides at the latest European Council, will be raised.
Referring to the Cypriot Presidency, the sources note that Germany places particular weight on its priorities. It focuses on enhancing the European economy’s competitiveness, based on a simplification initiative letter from Germany signed by 22 EU leaders including President Christodoulides, as well as on the Multiannual Fiscal Framework, which Germany considers a crucial matter for the Cypriot Presidency to manage.
On the Cyprus side, the prioritization of the MFF and readiness to have a mature negotiating framework with indicative figures by June will be confirmed. The Presidency’s key priorities, such as the EU’s strategic autonomy, resilience, deepening of the single market, energy diversification, and enhancing relations with important regions such as the Middle East and the Gulf, as well as promoting the enlargement programme, will be presented.
President Christodoulides and Chancellor Merz are also expected to discuss bilateral relations and the need for further enhancement. The sources highlight that the ties between the two countries have been significantly enhanced at a political, economic, and European level, reflected in Germany’s stance in favor of Cyprus at the Council of Europe and the frequency of high-level contacts. Germany has supported Cyprus in the Council of Europe, particularly regarding the matter of property rights of the displaced.
They refer to the excellent defense and security cooperation between Cyprus and Germany, the fact that in 2024, a total of 228,355 German tourists visited Cyprus, a significant increase, the substantial German presence in Cyprus’s shipping sector, and Cypriot schools joining the international network PASCH through a German language course. On immigration, a Joint Action Plan is being implemented with experts provided by Germany, facilitating an exchange of best practices.
During the meeting, the need to further enhance cooperation in other sectors such as trade, investments, energy, and renewables will be put forward, they note.