Cyprus Announces Plans to Join NATO

Cyprus’s admission to NATO could set an important precedent.

The President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, said that his country intends to become a member of NATO and is negotiating with Washington on ways to join the alliance, writes DW .

According to him, Cyprus is discussing with the US three proposed levels of membership of the republic in the Alliance. He also noted that the fact that Cyprus cannot be a NATO member state due to Turkey’s objections deprives the country’s army of many opportunities both for modernization and for acquiring military equipment.

Christodoulides called Cyprus’s key advantage the island’s geographical location “in an area of particular geostrategic importance.” However, when asked about the timing of a potential application to join NATO, he replied: “The less we talk about it, the closer we are to our goal.”

Cyprus’s accession to NATO is an important precedent

According to NATO rules, a state with unresolved territorial issues cannot be included. The Republic of Cyprus controls about 60% of the island of the same name, the rest of which is occupied by the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Earlier, the media reported that the President of Cyprus discussed a strategy for the gradual rapprochement of the country with NATO during a meeting with US President Joe Biden. It is claimed that the detailed and well-thought-out plan is designed for the long term and consists of many interdependent stages.

Ukraine’s accession to NATO

President Volodymyr Zelensky presented a victory plan to Ukrainians in the Verkhovna Rada , the first point of which provides for inviting our country to NATO.

According to the US Permanent Representative to NATO in the Biden administration, Julianne Smith, the Alliance has not yet reached the point where it can extend an invitation to Ukraine .

Recently, the current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke out against inviting Ukraine to NATO “right now”.

(c)UNIAN 2024