Cyprus government and opposition clash over participation in Trump-led Peace Council

The Republic of Cyprus has decided to participate as an observer in an international meeting regarding a peace plan for Gaza, organized under the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump. This move prompted strong criticism from the main opposition party, AKEL, whose spokesman Giorgos Koukoumas described it as a dangerous shift and a historic backslide in foreign policy. AKEL argued that the initiative aims to sideline the United Nations and undermines international law, noting that many other EU member states declined the invitation. In response, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis dismissed the party's claims as an ideological fixation and a dogmatic obsession. Letymbiotis stated that the meeting is conducted based on a UN Security Council resolution and serves an informative and coordinating role for regional stability. The government maintains that being an active and credible partner strengthens the country's legal position, whereas a policy of absence fails to protect national interests.