President Nikos Christodoulides on Monday welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s decision to appoint Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as the European Union’s special representative for Cyprus.

Christodoulides said the appointment of one of the Commission’s most senior officials demonstrates the EU’s increased interest in the Cyprus issue and its readiness to play a leading and more substantive role in efforts to restart UN-led reunification talks.

“The appointment of an official at the top of the Commission’s institutional hierarchy gives particular political weight to this common effort,” he said.

Christodoulides described the appointment as another tangible result of the government’s strategy to strengthen EU involvement in the Cyprus issue, saying that the approach had been pursued from the outset at the highest European level.

He pointed to the European Council conclusions of April 2024 and the joint letter sent by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in March 2025 as milestones in that strategy.

The president said securing a senior EU representative had always been one of the government’s strategic objectives, adding that although the approach had initially been met with scepticism by some, it is now recognised as both positive and meaningful.

He also said that, at a time when the UNSG’s latest initiative on Cyprus is underway, the EU has signalled its readiness to use all the tools at its disposal to support the process.

Christodoulides reiterated that progress in EU-Turkey relations is directly linked to progress on the Cyprus issue and could create meaningful incentives for a mutually beneficial way forward.

He added that the government’s determination, consistency and methodical implementation of its strategy, combined with Guterres’ commitment, had created fresh momentum and led to concrete initiatives.

The president concluded by thanking von der Leyen for what he described as her decisive role, genuine interest and close, continuous coordination on the Cyprus issue.