Christodoulides and Erhürman hold intensive talks on Cyprus issue

On August 26, 2026, President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman met for nearly three hours at the United Nations Good Offices premises in the Nicosia buffer zone. This was their first meeting since UN Secretary-General António Guterres' visit to the island last month, aiming to assess the roadmap established during that mission. Both leaders described the session as constructive and agreed to move forward with a more rigorous schedule, committing to weekly meetings and additional sessions as needed.

Despite the constructive tone, Erhürman noted the meeting took place under the shadow of recent negative developments, which he argued undermine confidence-building measures (CBMs). He emphasized that progress on CBMs—such as demining, opening new crossing points, and addressing citizenship rights—is essential for moving toward a 5+1 format meeting, as requested by Guterres and his envoy María Ángela Holguín. The discussion covered substance, methodology, and CBMs, which are viewed as interconnected components for breaking the current deadlock.

Future momentum is expected in early September with the arrival of María Ángela Holguín and a visit by European Council President António Costa on September 4. The leaders also agreed to announce the members of the Civil Society Advisory Body's Steering Committee on August 27.