“The European Union remains united in its determination to protect its interests, to uphold its principles and to strengthen its role as a credible geopolitical actor”, Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said, adding that Cyprus will continue working towards that direction until the end of its Presidency, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the context of the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers (Gymnich), held in Limassol on Thursday.
According to the Ministry, the meeting was co-chaired by Minister Kombos and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, within the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The agenda of the informal meeting focused on developments in the Middle East and Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
During the first session, attended by India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, Ministers held discussions on the situation in the Middle East and wider regional developments.
The discussions also addressed the impact of current developments on maritime security, the importance of upholding international law and freedom of navigation, as well as the need to strengthen the resilience of supply chains, the Ministry said.
During the second session, EU Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the war in Ukraine and the European Union’s strategic positioning, including continued support for Ukraine.
On Wednesday evening, Kombos hosted an informal dinner attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, as well as the Foreign Ministers of India and Saudi Arabia.
“In today’s geopolitical environment, the challenges before us are significant”, Kombos said, according to the statement.
“Today’s meeting reaffirmed that the European Union remains united in its determination to protect its interests, to uphold its principles and to strengthen its role as a credible geopolitical actor. Cyprus will continue to work in this direction, and to deliver and yield results until the last day of our Presidency”, he added.
The Republic of Cyprus currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU for a six-month term that started on January 1st, 2026, as part of a Trio Presidency along with Poland and Denmark.
