In a rare and unexpected encounter, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama engaged in a brief discussion on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Budapest on Thursday.
The informal meeting, which took place shortly before the summit’s official start, marked an unusual convergence of leaders from nations with historically strained relations. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was also present during the initial exchange.
During the discussion, the leaders shared views on the U.S. presidential election and broader regional and international developments. Photos from the event showed the four leaders and other officials gathered around a small coffee table in a conference hall, signaling the informal nature of the interaction.
Encounters between Turkish and Cypriot leaders are exceedingly rare due to decades-long tensions stemming from Cyprus’s division into Greek and Turkish Cypriot territories in 1974. While the meeting was not planned, its occurrence alongside high-level European discussions reflects a symbolic moment of dialogue amidst a complex geopolitical backdrop.
Greek officials noted the significance of the leaders exchanging perspectives on key global issues, emphasising the importance of regional cooperation even amid longstanding disputes.
(Source: Reuters)