The Republic of Cyprus is willing to participate in a multinational peacekeeping formation in Ukraine, deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou said on Friday, following reactions to remarks made on Thursday by President Nikos Christodoulides in Paris.
Antoniou told the Cyprus News Agency that Cyprus could assist on an administrative and supportive level for humanitarian missions, with the participation of members of the National Guard and the police.
“And of course under no circumstance did the Republic of Cyprus intend to provide troops,” he added.
Antoniou said the president had expressed Cyprus’ willingness to contribute to a formation with a UN mandate to supervise security in Ukraine after a peace deal, such as Unifil in Lebanon.
Christodoulides is meeting on Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Paris, a day after the Ukraine summit hosted by France.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that the leaders will discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean, within the framework of the ongoing efforts of the Republic of Cyprus to strengthen regional dialogue and stability in the eastern Mediterranean.
Antoniou said the leader of the Syrian transitional government has been invited to participate in Friday’s meeting remotely.
He added that the Republic supported any initiative serving the aim for understanding and cooperation towards establishing stability in the region.
On Thursday, Christodoulides said the main objective of European nations is to ensure conditions of security and stability in Ukraine, directly linked with security and stability in Europe.
He also said that he expressed the readiness of Cyprus to be represented “in any format” created to ensure that such conditions prevail in Ukraine.
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