Zelensky visits Cyprus as Nicosia's EU presidency begins
Editor's note: The story has been updated with the latest details.
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Cyprus to meet his Cypriot counterpart, Nikos Christodoulides, and top EU officials, presidential spokesperson Serhii Nykyforov said on Jan. 7.
Zelensky is visiting the island country to take part in a ceremony marking the start of Cyprus's six-month presidency of the Council of the EU.
The president's visit included a bilateral meeting with Christodoulides, as well as talks with European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Archbishop George III of Cyprus.
Ukraine's leader also met Moldovan President Maia Sandu, whose country is seeking to join the EU alongside Kyiv.
"The joint path of Ukraine and Moldova toward European Union membership must be coordinated," Zelensky noted.
Christodoulides, who met Zelensky in Kyiv in December, previously affirmed that Ukraine's efforts to join the EU will be a key priority of Cyprus's presidency.
Nicosia takes over the EU chairmanship from Denmark, Kyiv's close partner, which sought to advance the opening of Ukraine's negotiations clusters but failed to make headway due to Hungary's opposition.
"We are working to make as much progress as possible during this period on opening negotiating clusters and on Ukraine's accession to the European Union," Zelensky said on X after his talks with Christodoulides on Jan. 7.
The two leaders also discussed support for Ukraine's air defenses, drone production, and Cyprus's participation in the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative and the EU's SAFE project.
Since the outbreak of the full-scale war, Cyprus has provided financial, security, and humanitarian support to Ukraine, including through EU frameworks.
At the same time, Cyprus has been criticized as a gateway for Russian money flowing to the EU and a tax haven for Russian oligarchs.
Zelensky's visit to Cyprus follows his meeting with European leaders and U.S. envoys in Paris on Jan. 6 to discuss post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.
