Europe will not be whole until Cyprus is reunited, President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said on Tuesday as she welcomed President Nikos Christodoulides to Strasbourg.

“You are not alone in your desire to see your island reunited,” she said, emphasising that the only way forward is to have a sovereign European state, a bicommunal, bizonal federation in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.

Metsola stressed that the Cyprus problem is not limited to the island but is a wider European concern, adding that greater EU involvement in all stages of the negotiations could be helpful.

She noted, however, that it is clear that a solution must be reached within the UN framework and that the EU, through a suitably qualified envoy, can help give a new impetus to the negotiations so they can resume.

Metsola’s comments came as part of Christodoulides’ trip to Strasbourg in which he will address parliament.

For his part, Christodoulides said that his greatest legacy as “president of all Cypriots” would be to hand over to the next generation a reunited state that will be an even stronger member [of the EU]”.

He further addressed the Turkish Cypriot community by reiterating that they too are citizens of the Republic and the EU, adding that their future “passed through our common membership of the EU”.

Christodoulides said before the session that “we are making every effort to resume negotiations.

“I look forward to the support of the European Parliament. The EU can play a leading role in our efforts to restart negotiations,” he said, thanking Metsola for her interest and clear positions on the Cyprus problem.

Metsola sought to illustrate the parliament’s commitment to Cyprus by reminding the audience that she has met with Christodoulides four times since he took office.

Elsewhere, the parliament heard of Cyprus’ challenges in other areas, such as migration and natural gas.

Metsola emphasised that no EU member should face the challenge of migration alone – telling the audience that the recent migration deal within the bloc is very important.

On energy, Christodoulides said that Cyprus is the only EU member state in the Eastern Mediterranean with confirmed natural gas reserves.

Those, he said, along with Cyprus’ good relations with most of its neighbours, mean that it can help the bloc with an energy corridor – with gas acting as a “bridge” towards a greener energy sector.