United Nations and EU efforts to break the Cyprus deadlock

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is intensifying efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue before his term concludes in December 2026. As part of this final push, Guterres has requested the European Union to engage with Ankara, attempting to leverage EU-Turkey relations as a catalyst for progress. The strategy involves linking potential improvements in EU-Turkey cooperation with Ankara’s willingness to participate in a Cyprus settlement process, aiming for a win-win scenario that moves beyond previous patterns of one-sided concessions.

Despite these diplomatic maneuvers, recent reports from Nicosia suggest that a deadlock is increasingly likely. Diplomatic sources cited by AlphaNews indicate that a five-party conference is currently viewed as improbable. Instead, it is widely anticipated that the issue will be handed over to the next UN Secretary-General. During a recent meeting in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated to Turkish officials the necessity of progress on the Cyprus issue and the importance of maintaining good neighborly relations, yet there has been no tangible indication of a breakthrough from the Turkish side as the end of the year approaches.