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Three Priorities of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU

Published February 9, 2026, 12:40

President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, presented the three main priorities of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU during a meeting with a delegation from the European Committee of the Regions. These priorities are bringing European citizens closer to the EU, strengthening European autonomy, and deepening the EU's relations with the wider Middle East. President Christodoulides emphasized that Cyprus has high levels of public support for the EU and wants to contribute to strengthening European autonomy in areas such as defense, security, competitiveness, and cohesion. He also highlighted the geographical importance of Cyprus as a bridge between the EU and the Middle East, offering its services as an honest mediator. The President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttö, thanked President Christodoulides for the meeting and emphasized the crucial role of local and regional authorities in bringing the EU closer to citizens. She expressed concern about the increasing concentration of power at national and European level and highlighted the importance of decentralization and cohesion.