Cypriot MEPs address Cyprus issue during State of the Union debate

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on September 16, 2026, the annual State of the Union debate followed a keynote address by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. While the session focused on broad themes such as security, defense, climate policy, migration, and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, Cypriot MEPs Loukas Fourlas and Geadis Geadi utilized the platform to draw attention to regional security and the status of Cyprus.

Loukas Fourlas publicly criticized President von der Leyen for omitting any reference to the ongoing Cyprus issue and the Turkish occupation in her address. He argued that the European Union cannot remain indifferent to the sovereignty of its member states. Concurrently, Irish Minister of State for European Affairs Thomas Byrne, representing the Council's Irish Presidency, expressed support for the Commission's priorities, highlighting a need for collective action regarding Ukraine and EU security, emphasizing that individual states cannot manage modern threats in isolation.

This debate follows earlier discussions on the EU's geopolitical agenda. While the Commission leadership focused on global stability and enlargement, the interventions by Cypriot officials highlighted ongoing internal tensions regarding territorial integrity that remain a point of friction within the legislative body.