in-cyprus 23 December 2025 - by Andreas Bimbishis
Cyprus, Israel and Greece announced plans for a maritime cybersecurity centre and expanded cooperation on Gaza at their 10th trilateral summit, positioning Cyprus as a European logistics hub as it prepares to assume the EU Council Presidency in early January.
The summit produced five commitments with 2026 implementation timelines:
- a Trilateral Maritime Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Cyprus
- a working group on emergency preparedness
- discussions on a water management memorandum of understanding
- a health working group focusing on medical institutions and research
- and a joint exercise for maritime environmental pollution response.
Cyprus presented a three-axis approach to Gaza involving humanitarian response, security and reconstruction, leveraging what officials described as its comparative advantage as a secure European node with capabilities in logistics, port services, transit, storage and specialised training. The presentation included reference to the CYCLOPS facility for potential synergy with EU missions and international organisations.
The Amalthea Humanitarian Corridor was cited as an operational example, having delivered 30,000 tons of humanitarian aid since activation, according to official figures.
The meeting comes during a period of intensified diplomatic activity for Cyprus on the Eastern Mediterranean and Gulf axis, following the UAE President’s visit to Cyprus, President Nikos Christodoulides’s meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Paris, and the signing of a Cyprus-Lebanon exclusive economic zone delimitation agreement on 26 November.
Officials indicated interest in reviving and upgrading the “3+1” framework with the United States, with timing considered favourable ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with the US President on 29 December, where next-day Gaza issues are expected to be discussed. The source noted increased US Congressional interest in institutional support for the format, with initiatives strengthening parliamentary dimensions of cooperation on counterterrorism and maritime security.
The trilateral mechanism covers energy, economy, defence, cybersecurity, maritime security, civil protection and crisis management. On infrastructure, the summit provided what was described as political momentum for electrical interconnection projects including the Greece-Cyprus-Israel interconnector, submarine telecommunications cables, and synergies aligned with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
The Cyprus-Lebanon EEZ delimitation agreement signed in late November was characterised as strengthening regional energy security, supporting regional stability and creating conditions for subsequent cross-border arrangements and energy planning.
The summit’s international dimension involves contributing to more structured discussions on EU-Israel relations, positions in international fora, and the need for a political horizon in the region.
Cyprus maintained its position supporting a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue within the framework of international law and with concern for the security of all parties.
