Croatia and Cyprus share a common vision and priorities on many European issues

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met today with the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides, who is on a working visit to Croatia ahead of the Cyprus presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026 and the Croatian presidency of the EU MED-9 group and the Three Seas Initiative. They discussed bilateral, European and global issues, security issues, energy, EU enlargement, the Russian aggression against Ukraine and US President Trump's peace plan for Gaza.

In a statement to the media after the meeting, Prime Minister Plenković said that bilateral relations between Croatia and Cyprus are very good and friendly, and recalled that he had personally visited Cyprus twice during his mandate.

They advocated for the improvement of trade exchange and mutual investments. In this context, the Prime Minister reported that mutual projects and cooperation between two important Croatian companies, Končar and Ericsson Nikola Tesla, are being prepared, which will contribute to a further increase in trade exchange.

There was also talk of cooperation in all multilateral forums, primarily within the European Union, where, the Prime Minister said, Croatia and Cyprus have many points in common.

"We want to accelerate the process of enlargement of the European Union, especially towards the countries of Southeast Europe," emphasized Plenković, saying that the upcoming Cyprus presidency is very important for this process in the future.

Regarding the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Prime Minister Plenković reiterated the principled and consistent position of the Croatian Government, condemning the aggression, the violation of international law and the principles of territorial integrity.

"Of course we are for peace, but we want that peace or truce to open the possibility of later reintegration of the currently occupied areas of Ukraine," he asserted.

When it comes to the Middle East, he welcomed President Trump's initiative and said the 20-point peace plan is a starting point.

"It is very important that it is sustainable and that there is no new escalation. It is necessary that decisions be made at the level of the Security Council that would define the mandate of the international stabilization forces that would be able to monitor the ceasefire that was agreed upon," he said.

He added that this new situation should be used for a comprehensive peace solution that would provide Israel with security and the Palestinians with a state.

Cooperation within the EU and the Pact for the Mediterranean

They also discussed further negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework, and the Prime Minister emphasized that Croatia has clear positions.

We are still a country that is a net beneficiary of European funds, he said, recalling that Croatia is in the plus of 17.8 billion euros.

"We believe that we need more time to raise Croatia's average development level according to the GDP per capita criterion even higher and thus help the growth of the economic and social standard of our citizens," he added.

He also highlighted the cooperation between Croatia and Cyprus in the context of Mediterranean policy, advocating that the proposal for the Pact for the Mediterranean, prepared within the European Commission by Croatian Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, be the basis for strengthening relations between the north and the east and south coasts, taking into account security, economy, connectivity, trade, science, culture, strengthening stability and preventing illegal migration.

Priorities of the Cyprus EU Presidency

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said that his visit is the first visit by a president of Cyprus to Croatia in almost two decades.

He stressed that Croatia and Cyprus share many similarities, both as members of the European Union and as members of the wider Mediterranean family.

Today's meeting, he added, follows yesterday's EU MED-9 summit, where a clear commitment to strengthening cooperation among Mediterranean members was confirmed, promoting security, stability and sustainable development.

His visit, he said, comes in the context of the upcoming assumption of the presidency of the Council of the European Union, and places great emphasis on listening to partners and understanding their priorities in order to work together to achieve concrete results for the benefit of all member states and citizens.

Croatia and Cyprus share a common vision and priorities on many European issues, he stressed.

Cyprus supports the European Union's open door policy, based on merit and meeting criteria.

Unwavering support for Ukraine and peace efforts in the Middle East

"We believe that enlargement is a strategic investment in peace, stability and prosperity of the entire continent," he said, adding that the Cyprus presidency would strive to keep the issue of enlargement high on the agenda of the European Union.

As two countries that unfortunately have the experience of war, said the president, we share an understanding of the consequences of war conflicts.

"We confirmed our unwavering support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as support for peace efforts in the Middle East," he said.

The new Pact for the Mediterranean, he stressed, represents a historic step forward in relations with the southern neighbourhood with concrete projects that promote connectivity, sustainability and regional stability, and the implementation of this pact will also be high on the agenda of the Cypriot presidency.

Opportunities for deeper cooperation, especially in the field of defense

He expressed gratitude for Croatia's long-standing position and its continued support for a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Cyprus problem, in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the values, principles and laws of the European Union.

Finally, he said that bilateral relations between Croatia and Cyprus are strong and full of potential for deeper cooperation in several areas, one of which is particularly promising is defense, especially in the context of strengthening European strategic autonomy.

News