US lawmakers reintroduce bipartisan bill to end arms embargo on Cyprus

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has reintroduced legislation aimed at strengthening defence ties between the United States and the Republic of Cyprus by easing restrictions on arms exports to the country.

Representatives Chris Pappas, Gus Bilirakis, Dina Titus and Nicole Malliotakis, co-chairs and vice co-chairs of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, announced the reintroduction of the End the Cyprus Embargo Act, which would extend the waiver period for the US arms embargo on Cyprus from one year to five years.

According to a joint press release, the bill seeks to enhance long-term defence cooperation and military planning between the two countries, aligning with broader US strategic interests in the region.

Lawmakers argue that the annual waiver requirement—authorised under the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019— restricts Cyprus’ ability to plan and procure US defence articles effectively and compromises US-Cypriot military interoperability. It also impedes joint research on cybersecurity and maritime security and diminishes the effectiveness of the National Guard State Partnership Program in Cyprus.

“The Republic of Cyprus is a steadfast democratic ally in the Eastern Mediterranean and an essential partner in ensuring regional security,” said Pappas. “This policy change will better empower US-Cyprus bilateral relations, support our mutual commitment to collaboration on security and defence, and improve long-term planning and procurement coordination."

Bilirakis emphasised Cyprus’s reliability as a strategic partner. “Giving Cyprus planning certainty will allow the partnership to continue to flourish and will prove mutually beneficial for both nations and our allies,” he said.

Titus added that reducing bureaucratic hurdles will support Cyprus’s ability to prepare for future security needs while advancing U.S. foreign policy goals. “Cyprus is a key partner in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the U.S. must continue making efforts to improve diplomatic relations between our two countries,” she said.

Malliotakis called the current embargo outdated and counterproductive. “Our legislation seeks to correct this by recognizing Cyprus as a key strategic partner in the Eastern Mediterranean,” she said. “By strengthening Cyprus's ability to defend itself, we can promote greater stability in the region,” she noted.

If enacted, the End the Cyprus Embargo Act would extend the waiver renewal period from one year to five years and permit the US President to reconsider the embargo only once every five years.

It will also prohibit termination of the waiver unless Congress is informed that Cyprus is no longer cooperating on US anti-money laundering and financial oversight efforts or begins permitting Russian military vessels to access its ports.

The bill has drawn support from leading Greek-American advocacy groups, including the American Hellenic Institute (AHI), the Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes, and PSEKA (Justice for Cyprus).