The Middle East crisis and how Cyprus’ EU presidency in 2026 could help bring the countries of the region closer to the European Union, were discussed on Monday by President Nikos Christodoulides and King Abdullah II of Jordan on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York.

Christodoulides elaborated on how Cyprus’ EU presidency constituted a historical opportunity to highlight the southern neighbourhood as a strategic priority for the Union, with the purpose of promoting stability, cooperation and development.

Cyprus, he said, was ready to utilise its presidency to the maximum to further enhance Jordan’s relations with the EU.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that in this context, Christodoulides invited the king to participate in the high-level events to be held in Cyprus, including the ceremony on January 7 to receive the presidency and the informal European Council in April 2026.

The president also said he was satisfied that the king had been invited to the Med9 session to be held in Slovenia, in the footsteps of the meeting held in Cyprus last October.

Referring to the Cyprus problem, Christodoulides assured King Abdullah II that his government would continue to strive for the resumption of negotiations leading to a settlement and thanked Jordan for its long-standing stance of principle on the issue.

Christodoulides and King Abdullah II also discussed regional cooperation, particularly the tripartite meetings between Cyprus, Greece and Jordan, and the forthcoming tripartite session in November in Jordan. They furthermore touched upon the fields of energy and defence.

The Cyprus president praised Jordan’s role and that of the king himself in efforts to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, through Cyprus’ Amalthia corridor, and they exchanged views on the latest developments in Gaza and the West Bank.

At a bilateral level, they affirmed their common will to further enhance cooperation in crucial sectors. Christodoulides made special reference to the announcement by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to set up a regional firefighting hub in Cyprus, saying the island was ready to expand the initiative to include Jordan.

Christodoulides also thanked the king for his country’s actions to maintain halloumi exports to Jordan and the reactivation of the ban on products from the north.

Later on Monday, Christodoulides is scheduled to meet executives from energy giant Chevron and multinational corporation Amazon.

He will also attend a high-level international summit for the peaceful resolution of the Palestinian issue at UN headquarters.

On Tuesday, he will attend a reception held by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for heads of state participating in the UN general assembly, before later attending a reception held by United States President Donald Trump.

It is also expected that he will meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Syrian President Ahmet al-Sharaa.

He will make his address to the UN general assembly on Wednesday, at which he is expected to “highlight the unwavering commitment of the Republic of Cyprus to international legitimacy and the need to achieve a just and sustainable solution to the Cyprus problem”.

On Thursday, he will hold a bilateral meeting with Guterres and on Saturday, a tripartite meeting with Guterres and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.

Saturday’s meeting will be held with a view to a third enlarged meeting on the Cyprus problem of the year, involving Cyprus’ two sides, the UN, and the island’s three guarantor powers, Greece, Turkey and the UK likely taking place in late November.