Cyprus is set to receive financial support from the European Union to move forward with measures to combat the outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), President Nikos Christodoulides said in Brussels on Wednesday.

“I thanked the President of the European Commission for the substantive financial support not only to address the challenges that arise immediately, but (…) to reactivate the livestock sector,” he said after attending the European Council meeting.

Christodoulides said that measures had been discussed to further protect Cyprus against other possible diseases of this type in the future.

“The role of the Council towards third parties is important, so that they do what they need to do to avoid creating problems in Cyprus,” he said.

The president did not specify the amount that would be provided by the EU or when it would be made available.

Christodoulides had later on Wednesday met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the Middle East crisis, the foot and mouth disease outbreak on the island and the way forward in the Cyprus problem.

As of Tuesday, 1,160 cows and 15,000 sheep and goats had been slaughtered as part of culling measures to prevent the further spreading of FMD on the island, bringing the total to over 16,000.