President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides held a meeting of the National Council on July 24, 2026, to discuss diplomatic strategies before the high-profile visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the island, scheduled for July 27–29. The Council expressed support for efforts to resume negotiations from the point they stalled at Crans-Montana in 2017 and welcomed the appointment of Raffaele Fitto as the EU's special envoy for the Cyprus issue.

Following the National Council session, President Christodoulides traveled to Athens on July 25 to coordinate positions with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. During their meeting at the Maximos Mansion, Mitsotakis emphasized that the current diplomatic mobility regarding Cyprus carries a sense of urgency given the upcoming conclusion of Guterres's term. The leaders aim to support the Secretary-General’s initiative to convene an expanded conference to restart substantive talks based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Looking ahead, President Christodoulides is expected to hold meetings with UN personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin before the Secretary-General's arrival. The upcoming visit by Guterres, the first in 16 years, is viewed as a pivotal moment for international efforts to transform diplomatic management into a concrete political process.