UN and EU intensify talks on Cyprus dispute

United Nations Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres, through his Cyprus Special Representative Angela Maria Holguin, is ramping up diplomatic contacts with the European Union to bring the EU into the ongoing Cyprus negotiations. Holguin is slated to meet EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa in the coming weeks, with plans to travel to Ankara, Athens and Brussels before returning to Nicosia.

The talks aim to shape a “5+1” format that would link any settlement of the Cyprus issue to Turkey’s broader EU relationship. Turkey’s priorities include joining the EU’s SAFE defence programme, securing a customs union and obtaining visa‑free travel, while the Greek Cypriot side insists on security guarantees and Turkish troop reductions before it will endorse Turkey’s EU aspirations. A new EU‑aligned Cyprus Special Representative may be appointed, and all parties are seeking a solution that satisfies both communities and eases Turkey‑EU ties.