Raffaele Fitto, the European Commission's Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue, met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia. Fitto emphasized the EU's desire to play a significant role in the UN-led peace process.
The European Union's increased involvement could provide new impetus to the stalled Cyprus peace process, potentially leveraging EU-Turkey relations to facilitate a settlement.
Raffaele Fitto, the European Commission's Special Envoy for the Cyprus issue, visited Nicosia to discuss the ongoing peace process. Following a meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Fitto emphasized the European Union's commitment to playing a significant role in the United Nations' efforts to resolve the island's division.
Fitto stated that the EU wishes to contribute positively to the UN process and that his visit was intended to listen to the positions of the involved parties. He indicated plans to return to Cyprus in the coming months, expressing optimism about achieving significant results within that timeframe.
Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos described the meeting as "particularly useful and constructive," noting that discussions covered practical next steps and Fitto's engagements with the parties. Kombos suggested that EU-Turkey relations could be utilized as leverage to inject new momentum into settlement efforts, highlighting Fitto's existing communication channels with Turkey.
The visit occurs shortly after UN Secretary-General António Guterres's own engagements in Cyprus, aimed at convening a new, broader meeting contingent on adequate preparation. The European Commission has affirmed its readiness to actively support a settlement based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, aligning with UN Security Council resolutions and EU law.