Cyprus received a major boost in its bilateral relations with the United States after President Joe Biden authorised access to American military equipment.
The Mediterranean nation, traditionally aligned with Russia, adopted a pro-American stance following the election of President Nikos Christodoulides in 2023.
In a memorandum issued by the White House, Biden stated that the provision of defence articles and services to Cyprus would strengthen the security of the United States and contribute to global peace.
The United States Embassy in Nicosia confirmed that Cyprus had been deemed eligible to receive military supplies through programmes such as Foreign Military Sales and the Excess Defense Articles initiative.
The Cyprus Presidency described the development as a "historic milestone" in relations between the two nations. A statement highlighted that the move would yield substantial benefits in diplomacy and defence, while recognising Cyprus as a "key pillar of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean."
On social media, United States Ambassador Julie Davis Fisher emphasised the importance of the decision, stating, "President Biden's determination of the Republic of Cyprus's eligibility for government-to-government defence sales marks an important step in deepening the relationship, enhancing security cooperation, and promoting stability in the East Med."
The United States had previously lifted a decades-old arms embargo on Cyprus in 2022, conditional upon the country continuing to deny Russian warships access to its ports.
The embargo, imposed in 1987, aimed to encourage the reunification of the island, which remains divided since Turkey’s invasion of the north in 1974.
Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis noted that the enhanced defence cooperation was a testament to Cyprus’s reliability as a partner during the Middle East crisis.
Letymbiotis pointed to initiatives such as the delivery of aid to Gaza and the evacuation of US nationals as evidence of the island's strategic value.
Last year, Christodoulides became the first Cypriot president to visit the White House since 1996, launching a Strategic Dialogue to strengthen collaboration in security and other domains.
