The EU needs to remain united in light of the challenges it faces in various sectors, President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides has stressed Monday evening in Berlin, where he attended a working dinner convened by President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The priority for Cyprus is the strategic autonomy of the EU, the President said in his intervention at the working dinner hosted by Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, with the participation of leaders of EU member states. The President also informed interlocutors about the latest developments regarding the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus for the creation of a sea humanitarian corridor to Gaza.

According to a written statement by the Director of the Press Office of the President of the Republic, Viktoras Papadopoulos, this dinner was one of four working dinners hosted by Charles Michel, with the aim of discussing the EU Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029, which concerns the political priorities that the EU should follow.

According to Papadopoulos, President Christodoulides, stressed that the EU needs to remain united in light of the challenges it faces in various fields, and referred to the two crises, the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza. He pointed out that the EU needs to show that it can manage the situation without losing its focus on the needs of European citizens”.

“He added that the joint efforts of the EU member states brought results and significant progress in the fields of health, security, energy, as well as the green and digital transition, noting that the Union has proven in the past that in critical moments it is united and powerful. Nevertheless, there are areas such as immigration, where the management of the issue at the European level, especially for the frontline countries, does not meet the expectations of the citizens” it is added.

Papadopoulos said that the President also referred to issues related to the objectives of the new Strategic Agenda, underlined the need to define and agree between the partners what is the European interest. He also noted that priority for Cyprus is the strategic autonomy of the EU.

The President also explained that the EU’s strategic autonomy should be characterized by two goals, on the one hand, a more resilient and competitive Europe, basing its policies on the pillars of improving the daily lives of its citizens, and on the other hand, strengthening Europe’s geopolitical role on the international stage through the strengthening of its policies in the fields of defence and security.

Referring to the situation in the Middle East, the President of the Republic said, among other things, that conditions must be created in order to resume the peace process for a two-state solution. He also informed about the latest developments regarding the initiative of the Republic of Cyprus to create a sea humanitarian corridor to Gaza, referring in particular to the latest consultations with Israel.

Regarding EU enlargement, President Christodoulides pointed out that the Union’s adherence to the enlargement methodology is imperative, where each partner is evaluated.

Finally, the President of Cyprus referred extensively to the decision-making issues within the European Union, reiterating the need to clearly define what the European interest is before any decision is made, but also how the interests of the member states of the Union are protected, Papadopoulos said.