President Nikos Christodoulides met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon, marking a significant moment ahead of the 10th Trilateral Summit. The meeting took place at 17:30 and centred on crucial topics such as energy, defence, innovation, and tourism.
Photo: in-cyprus.philenews.com
The discussions served as a precursor to the upcoming summit, where Christodoulides and Netanyahu will be joined by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. A central theme of the dialogue was the ambitious “energy highway” or Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), designed to connect the electrical grids of Cyprus, Greece, and Israel. Additionally, the leaders explored the potential for establishing a reliable natural gas corridor to Europe.
Earlier on the same day, President Christodoulides was welcomed by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, further solidifying the diplomatic ties between the nations. This trilateral meeting comes just days before Cyprus is set to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 January 2026. Nicosia aims to leverage its presidency to present “tangible projects” aimed at strengthening the EU’s cooperation with the broader Middle East region.
While there had been speculation in Greek media regarding the formation of a joint “rapid-response force,” the Cypriot Ministry of Defence recently clarified that no such formal agreement would be considered at this summit. Instead, the focus will be on enhancing maritime security, cybersecurity, and coordination for emergency responses among the three nations.
Moreover, the leaders are keen on further enhancing the “3+1” cooperation framework, which includes the participation of the United States. After the trilateral working session concludes, the three heads of government plan to sign a joint cooperation declaration and address the press before attending a working dinner.
