in-cyprus 23 January 2026 - by Andreas Bimbishis
Cyprus has defended its handling of an invitation to Donald Trump’s peace council initiative, with the foreign minister arguing that being included in the exclusive gathering demonstrates the country’s elevated international status, even though President Nikos Christodoulides did not attend the Davos signing ceremony.
Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos responded to criticism the government received over the past 24 hours, saying it was preferable to manage the questions raised by the invitation rather than be excluded altogether.
“In any case, it is preferable to have to manage complex and delicate issues of this nature, rather than having been excluded in advance from such a process,” Kombos said on Thursday. “And this alone refers to our successful effort to upgrade the status and treatment of the Cyprus Republic.”
Kombos said Cyprus received a late invitation for Christodoulides to attend the signing in Davos on Wednesday, but the president could not participate due to other obligations.
He stressed the invitation was not rejected and said the significance lay in being included in what he described as a closed circle of invited states.
The foreign minister said critics were approaching the issue with “static logic” and ignoring subsequent developments after the invitation was received. He said the government had weighed the geopolitical significance of the matter.
Cyprus outlined its position in four points: supporting peace efforts within international law and the UN Charter framework; backing Gaza peace initiatives including the Sharm el-Sheikh agreement and the transition to a second phase; viewing the Board of Peace’s initial Gaza focus positively, noting UN Security Council Resolution 2803; and discussing the matter with Washington and European partners.
Regarding broader participation in the Board of Peace beyond its initial Gaza focus, Kombos said efforts are underway in Brussels to formulate a common EU position, which have not yet concluded. Cyprus is handling these discussions as holder of the EU Council Presidency.
Turkey’s presence at the Davos ceremony does not concern Cyprus, according to Kombos. “Turkey is a large country which has the capability of presence, a capability which we also have following the invitation we received,” he said.
He added that the discussion would have been different if Cyprus had not been invited, and said these issues are not black-and-white.
Kombos said almost all Arab countries and Israel have announced participation. “Therefore, we cannot be more royalist than the king on this issue,” he said, though he noted this is a preliminary position provided circumstances remain unchanged.
The foreign minister said EU member states and the EU itself are making movements and contacts on the issue, describing it as a collective effort being conducted at bilateral level. Nicosia has informed Washington of its stance, he added.
Kombos said subsequent developments such as events in Greenland do not negate the significance of the invitation Cyprus received.
