President Nikos Christodoulides said on Sunday that Cyprus’ responsible, outward-looking and multi-dimensional foreign policy, combined with efforts to strengthen all elements of national power, serves the country’s highest national priority: the liberation and reunification of Cyprus.

Speaking at a church service in Nicosia, the president said hoped that the renewed effort currently under way would soon lead to the resumption of substantive negotiations from where they were left off in 2017.

Such negotiations, he said, should lead to a viable and functional solution that would genuinely reunite the country and its people, while further strengthening Cyprus’ role at the international level.

“I will do everything possible to achieve this goal,” Christodoulides said, stressing that the government’s objective was clear and its political will strong and unquestionable. He added that this had been demonstrated in practice since the first day of his administration through initiatives recognised by the international community.

At the same time, the president said efforts to end the occupation and reunite the country were accompanied by actions to strengthen all elements of national power, both domestically and internationally.

Referring to the domestic front, Christodoulides said the government was working continuously to build a strong and resilient economy, advance bold and ongoing reforms, modernise institutions, strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption, address migration challenges, enhance the country’s deterrent capacity, invest in social welfare and reinforce the public’s sense of security.

On the international stage, he said Cyprus was following a path of responsibility, assuming an active role — through actions rather than words — as a pillar of security and stability in the wider Middle East.

“Our country is leveraging its geographical position and turning it into a strategic advantage in a region of particular geostrategic importance plagued by prolonged crises,” he said, adding that Cyprus remains a reliable and safe partner, serving as a hub of stability, a transit point for the safe evacuation of civilians and a corridor for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Christodoulides noted that the government’s initiatives were already yielding results and would be further intensified during Cyprus’ upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union. As president, he said, Cyprus would work to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, bring Europe closer to the region and address the daily challenges facing citizens.

“A strong European Union also means a strong Republic of Cyprus,” he said.

Concluding his address, Christodoulides said that active diplomacy, regional partnerships, humanitarian initiatives, geopolitical credibility and a strong, resilient economy directly reinforce efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem.