Diplomatic developments surrounding COP31 climate summit in Antalya

President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides will attend the UN Climate Change Conference COP31, scheduled for November 9-20, 2026, in Antalya, Turkey. This attendance follows a period of intense diplomatic activity, as Ankara initially excluded the Republic of Cyprus from the guest list. Following interventions from Brussels and Nicosia, Turkey issued an invitation to President Christodoulides and provided written assurances regarding protocol, ensuring the status of the Republic of Cyprus is respected and that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhurman, will not be elevated in rank during the proceedings.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also invited Tufan Erhurman to the summit, who confirmed his attendance, noting that he received his invitation on July 14, 2026. While Turkish media have highlighted this as the first visit by a Cypriot leader to Turkey in ten years—referencing a 2016 visit by Nicos Anastasiades—the Nicosia administration remains cautious, with President Christodoulides emphasizing that the government is prepared for any eventuality to prevent attempts to recognize the occupied territories. The European Council has explicitly underscored the necessity for the equal participation of EU member states at the summit, further formalizing the diplomatic framework for the event.