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EUalive.net (31 August 2026)

Günter Seufert

The European Union should define a role for itself aligned with the UN framework rather than appear as an instrument of Greek Cypriot leverage over Turkey.

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The Cyprus question has returned to the international agenda, but the island itself remains stuck. Nearly a decade after the failure of the last formal negotiations in 2017, Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders have still not agreed on whether – or on what basis – talks should resume. Even modest confidence-building measures remain contested.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has nevertheless reopened the diplomatic file. In May 2025, he reappointed former Colombian foreign minister María Ángela Holguín as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, despite the lack of tangible results from her first mission in 2024. The renewed effort reflects a wider concern: Cyprus is no longer merely a frozen Greek–Turkish dispute. It is embedded in an increasingly volatile regional security landscape.

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