[PIO] Written statement by the Government Spokesman Mr. Constantinos Letibiotis in the context of the European Council meeting in Brussels

The President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Nicos Christodoulides, participated this morning in the proceedings of the European People's Party Summit.

In his intervention, the President of the Republic referred to his initiative for a more active involvement of the EU in efforts to break the deadlock and for the immediate resumption of negotiations within the agreed framework, welcoming the inclusion of a reference in the draft text of the conclusions on the Cyprus problem and the active role that the EU can play, "at all stages" and "with all the means at its disposal".

The leaders attending the EPP Summit, in a joint statement, expressed their clear support for the President's initiative for more active EU engagement, including the appointment of a political figure, and called on the EU to seize the moment, by taking a more active role in efforts to break the deadlock and to resume negotiations immediately, within the agreed framework, in accordance with HE Security Council resolutions, EU principles and values and the European acquis.

Afterwards, the President of the Republic had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Italy, Mrs Giorgia Meloni, with whom they exchanged views on the efforts being made to resume negotiations. President Christodoulides thanked Mrs Meloni for her support for the relevant reference in the draft conclusions. The two leaders also discussed energy issues, in particular the prospects for the Eastern Mediterranean and their importance for the EU, taking into account the ENI's activity in the region. Finally, they discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations between Cyprus and Italy, addressing the issue of migration, developments in our region and the strengthening of MED-5 and MED-9.

Subsequently, the President of the Republic attended a working lunch of the leaders of the EU Member States with the NATO Secretary General during which EU-NATO relations, the upcoming NATO Summit in Lithuania and developments in Ukraine due to the illegal Russian invasion were discussed.

After the lunch, the work of the European Council Heads of State meeting began.

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