The government of Cyprus has announced its intention to join NATO to secure enhanced security guarantees and improve its political landscape. This strategic aim was reported by Kathimerini. The move is designed to bolster the country’s defense capabilities, but some political hurdles need to be addressed before Cyprus can proceed with the membership. Recent discussions between Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulidis and US President Joe Biden have reportedly been positive, signaling potential progress. This has also received a favorable response from US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who referred to it as a “victory for the people of Cyprus.” This context indicates growing support for Cyprus’s ambition to become a member of NATO, although specific conditions remain to be negotiated.

President Christodoulidis has specified three significant conditions in dialogue with the United States regarding the NATO accession plan. Firstly, he emphasized the need to purchase defense equipment from the United States, suggesting a change in the annual renewal of the arms embargo and aiming for its lift for three to five years. The second condition involves significant upgrades in the Cypriot National Guard’s training at US military academies. Lastly, the modernization of Cyprus’s defense in alignment with NATO standards, including infrastructure improvements, has been highlighted as essential. These

ملخص الأخبار

• التواجد الدائم للجيش الأمريكي في قبرص يعتبر هدفاً أساسياً للسياسة القبرصية، وليس شرطاً محدداً للانضمام إلى الناتو.
• من المتوقع حدوث فعاليات تتعلق بتقديم معدات دفاعية لقبرص بنهاية العام، بما في ذلك مبيعات دولية.
• أفادت التقارير أن السويد أصبحت العضو 32 في الناتو في مارس 2024.