President Christodoulides attends climate summit in Turkey and European summit in Ireland

President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides attended the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, on November 11, 2026. Despite diplomatic tensions and attempts by Turkey to downgrade the status of the Republic of Cyprus, Christodoulides addressed the summit, emphasizing collective responsibility and the need for decisive climate action. During the event, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a brief discussion with the Cypriot President, expressing an intention to arrange a trilateral meeting to resume Cyprus peace negotiations, pending his return from the Philippines.

Following the summit, the President traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to participate in the 9th European Political Community (EPC) summit on November 12, 2026. Discussions in Dublin focus on European security, economic competitiveness, and hybrid threats. Meanwhile, behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts are underway to facilitate a meeting between EU representative Raffaele Fitto and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on November 20. The EU intends to propose discussions on upgrading the EU-Turkey customs union contingent upon the resumption of Cyprus peace negotiations, as part of a broader strategy to stabilize regional cooperation.