Attaining ‘strategic and energy autonomy’ for the European Union headlined the agenda of the talks during the informal EU Council that got underway in Cyprus on Thursday.
“Now is the time, given regional and global developments, to give substance to our common goal for achieving strategic autonomy for the EU,” President Nikos Christodoulides said in his first remarks to the media.
The two-day event, wrapping up on Friday, brings together the EU heads of state of state or government, to discuss pressing matters brought to the fore by current geopolitical developments, primarily the war in the Persian Gulf.
It is the first informal EU Council hosted by Cyprus since the island formally acceded to the bloc in 2004. Informal councils are convened outside formal summit structures to discuss strategic priorities and geopolitical challenges in an open, less protocol-heavy setting. Unlike formal meetings, they do not adopt legal acts.
On the opening day, the gathering took place at the Ayia Napa marina, moving to the Filoxenia conference centre in Nicosia on Friday.
Cyprus is playing host to the leaders of 24 EU states, plus the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. Also attending is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
In his own statement to the press ahead of the meeting of the council, Costa said:
“Today is a very good day. We have taken two very important steps in order to strengthen Ukraine: delivering on our €90 billion loan, in order to support Ukraine for this year and next year, to satisfy their main needs for financial support and to defend themselves against Russian aggression; and, the second step, increasing the pressure on Russia, with our 20th package of sanctions.”
Costa added: “Now it’s time to look forward and to prepare the next step. And the next step is to open formally the first clusters of negotiations for the European accession of Ukraine to the European Union.”
Foreign leaders began arriving at the Ayia Napa venue around 6.30pm, greeted there by host President Christodoulides.
Each made brief statements to the press on their arrival, followed by the ‘family photo’ at around 7.30pm. Next a discussion took place with Zelenskiy. The working dinner was scheduled to start at 8.15pm.
For his part, Christodoulides said two issues would dominate the proceedings.
Strengthening relations with neighbouring states would be the first issue.
According to Christodoulides, on Friday the informal council would share views about the situation in the region, “more so after the announcement of the Pact for the Mediterranean where, through specific actions, we upgrade our relations in the region.”
Adopted in October 2025, the Pact for the Mediterranean is the EU’s strategic framework to deepen cooperation with Southern Neighborhood partners, focusing on economic integration, security, and sustainable development. It aims to create a ‘Common Mediterranean Space’ with over 100 projects, including renewable energy and digital infrastructure.
The second issue, said the president, concerns “European autonomy”, consisting of two elements: energy and the so-called Energy Union, and Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union.
Article 42.7 is a mutual defence clause requiring EU member states to provide aid and assistance by all means in their power if another member state is the victim of armed aggression on its territory. Introduced in 2009, it obliges assistance while respecting the specific security policies of certain members – for example, neutrality or Nato commitments.
Christodoulides explained what EU leaders would discuss in this respect:
“What happens when a state activates this article?
“For instance, will that take into consideration the region in which that state is located? Which states can provide assistance immediately, what type of assistance will be needed – as this depends on the capabilities of each state and the type of threat it faces.”
The president stressed that mutual defence assistance is not a matter concerning Cyprus alone. He recalled that France first invoked the article back in 2016, in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris.
The matter resurfaced after a drone attack against the British bases in Akrotiri on March 1. Additional drones launched on March 1 and 4 toward Cyprus were intercepted. The attacks occurred during the broader war between Iran and both Israel and the United States.
“What we need is to give substance to this article and forge an operational plan,” added Christodoulides.
Regarding the war in the Gulf, the president said “we cannot achieve de-escalation without the active participation of the EU.”
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