Cyprus prepares for EU summit and discusses mutual defense mechanism

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides inspected the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Nicosia on April 7, 2026, in preparation for the informal EU heads of state summit scheduled for April 23-24, 2026. The summit will take place across the Filoxenia Centre and the Ayia Napa marina. A central topic for the summit will be the mechanism for activating Article 42.7 of the EU Treaty, which concerns mutual defense assistance. While the article has not been formally invoked, leaders agreed on the necessity of a structured protocol for its implementation during a recent European Council session. The European Commission has been tasked with drafting specific stages for this process. Additionally, President Christodoulides reaffirmed that ending the Turkish occupation remains his government's top priority. During a visit to Thessaloniki, he was also named an honorary citizen and emphasized the strength of current Cyprus-Greece relations.