President Nikos Christodoulides will meet European Council President Antonio Costa on Monday as part of the latter’s visit to the island.

On Friday, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said Costa’s visit “takes place at a critical juncture and is of critical importance”, as Cyprus has “entered the final stage of preparations” for its undertaking of the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency in the first half of next year.

He added that the focus of Costa’s discussions with Christodoulides “will be the key priorities which will be highlighted” while Cyprus holds the rotating presidency.

These priorities, Letymbiotis said, include “competitiveness and the multiannual financial framework” – the European Union’s budget for the period covering the years between 2028 and 2034.

“At the same time, the two presidents will exchange views on the informal European Council meeting which Cyprus will organise next April, the first of its kind since our country’s accession to the EU,” he said.

This meeting is set to involve the EU’s 27 member states, as well as other countries from the wider eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region.

In addition, Letymbiotis said, Christodoulides “will also have the opportunity to inform [Costa] of the latest developments on the Cyprus problem, in view of the upcoming joint meeting with [Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin] Tatar, which will be held under the auspices of the United Nations’ secretary-general [Antonio Guterres”.

On this matter, he pointed out the joint letter sent to Guterres by Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the matter of the Cyprus problem in March.

This letter, he said, “clearly stated the union’s position in favour of a solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework agreed upon by the UN and on the basis of the principles, values, and acquis communautaire of the EU”.