British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides pledged on Tuesday to deepen bilateral relations during Starmer’s visit to Cyprus, a significant milestone as the first visit by a UK leader to the island since 1971.
The visit highlighted Cyprus’s pivot toward the West following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing regional instability in the Middle East.
During a welcoming ceremony, Starmer expressed his privilege at being in Cyprus, underscoring the historic and strategic ties between the two nations. The discussions included Britain’s commitment to supporting Cyprus in establishing a sanctions unit, showcasing collaboration in addressing global challenges.
Cyprus, a former British colony, has actively distanced itself from its earlier reputation as a hub for Russian business interests, aligning more closely with Western policies. The UK remains a key player in Cypriot affairs, serving as one of three guarantor powers of its independence alongside Turkey and Greece.
Starmer also visited British service personnel and their families stationed at RAF Akrotiri, a vital UK military base on Cyprus’s southern coast.
However, the visit drew criticism from Turkish Cypriot leaders in breakaway North Cyprus, who accused Starmer of sidelining the Turkish Cypriots, one of the two principal parties in the long-standing Cyprus conflict. North Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey, condemned the visit for focusing solely on the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.
The visit follows Christodoulides’s groundbreaking meeting at the White House earlier this year, the first for a Cypriot president in nearly 30 years, signaling a broader international acknowledgment of Cyprus’s evolving role in geopolitics.