Cyprus has taken a significant step in its partnership with the United States after President Joe Biden approved access to American military equipment.
Traditionally aligned with Russia, Cyprus adopted a pro-American approach following President Nikos Christodoulides’ election in 2023. A White House memorandum declared that providing defence articles and services to Cyprus would bolster U.S. security interests and contribute to global peace.
The U.S. Embassy in Nicosia confirmed that Cyprus is now eligible for programs such as Foreign Military Sales and the Excess Defense Articles initiative. This marks a “historic milestone” in Cyprus-U.S. relations, according to the Cypriot presidency, which emphasized the diplomatic and defence benefits of this development. Cyprus was recognized as a “key pillar of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
U.S. Ambassador Julie Davis Fisher underscored the importance of the move, stating, “President Biden’s determination of Cyprus’s eligibility for defence sales deepens the relationship, enhances security cooperation, and promotes stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
This decision follows the 2022 lifting of a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus, contingent on the country refusing Russian warships access to its ports. The embargo, introduced in 1987, aimed to encourage reunification of the island, divided since Turkey’s 1974 invasion of the north.
Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis highlighted the island’s reliability during regional crises, referencing its role in delivering aid to Gaza and evacuating U.S. nationals. These actions underscore Cyprus’s strategic importance in the region.
President Christodoulides, the first Cypriot leader to visit the White House since 1996, initiated a Strategic Dialogue last year to enhance cooperation in security, trade, and other areas.
