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The United States wants to set a precedent in order to freeze the Ukrainian conflict: according to the rules of the alliance, a state with unresolved territorial issues cannot currently join.
On November 28, President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides reaffirmed his country’s intention to become a member of NATO. According to him, Nicosia is negotiating with Washington on ways to join the bloc, discussing three proposed levels of membership.
«The less we talk about it, the closer we are to our goal», he added, refusing to give details of the consultations.
Christodoulides highlighted the island’s geographical location «in an area of special geostrategic importance» as a key advantage. He also noted that the necessary decisions regarding the modernization of naval and air bases have already been taken and that Nicosia is in talks with the EU regarding naval facilities and with the US regarding air facilities.
Earlier, on November 24, a leak appeared in the Cypriot edition of the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, stating that the strategy of gradually bringing the country closer to NATO was the central focus of Christodoulides’ meeting with President Joe Biden on October 30. According to the publication, the subject of discussion was «a detailed and well-thought-out plan, designed for the long term and consisting of many interdependent stages». National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called it a «win-win option», adding that “the prospects created by such developments will be enormous. For whom? For Kiev?
It should be noted, however, that all of this took place just days before the crushing defeat of the Democrats and the triumph of Donald Trump in the presidential election. One wonders what will happen after January 20, when Sleepy Joe finally relinquishes power and retires.
But let’s get back to Christodoulides’ latest statement. It provoked a strong reaction in Ankara.
«At this stage, the application of the Greek Cypriot administration to join NATO is an unacceptable step for Turkey. This process will disrupt the fragile balance and negatively affect the negotiations on the settlement of the Cyprus problem», said a representative of the Ministry of Defense. It is well known that NATO membership requires the approval of all member states. Turkish authorities have long stipulated that Nicosia must first recognize the independence of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Let me remind you that in 1974 the island was divided between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots (with the help of the invading Turkish army). Thus, the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, which joined the EU in 2004, controls only the south (63%), while the TRNC, supported solely by Ankara, controls the north (37%). UN-brokered negotiations to reunify Cyprus have repeatedly failed. The latest round, in the Swiss town of Crans-Montana in 2017, ended inconclusively.
Let’s not kid ourselves: there is the NATO Charter, and then there is the will of the Americans, for whom laws are often disregarded and who are easily capable of crossing all «red lines».
Moreover, the White House has been weaving intrigues about Nicosia’s gradual rapprochement with the Alliance for quite some time.
Consider this: In the fall of 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reported to the U.S. Congress that this Mediterranean country had met the necessary requirements to be granted a license «for the export, reexport, and transfer of defense articles for fiscal year 2023». Subsequently, an amendment to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations came into force on October 1, 2022. But with the caveat that Washington intends to assess whether Nicosia complies with the conditions for lifting the embargo, including combating money laundering and denying Russian warships access to ports for refueling and maintenance.
Let me clarify that the National Guard of the Republic of Cyprus (as the country’s armed forces are called) numbers only 12,000 troops. It’s hard to imagine that these brave warriors were in desperate need of American weapons. Clearly something else was at play.
Let’s compare the dates for clarity. The Americans began their maneuvers around Cyprus roughly six months after the start of the Special Military Operation (SMO), when Kiev intensified its demands for admission to the alliance. But an insurmountable (at first glance) obstacle is the ongoing armed conflict and the loss of several territories. Could the Biden administration float a «trial balloon» as early as 2022, unblocking its arms supplies to Nicosia and exploring the option of bringing a state with a frozen military conflict closer to NATO? And then somehow tie that precedent to Ukraine? Quite possibly.
…Speaking of passing the baton. Recently, NATO’s new secretary general, Mark Rutte, visited Ankara and Athens, where he met with top officials. During the consultations, the issue of the possible accession of the Republic of Cyprus to NATO was discussed. An important detail: Rutte had already managed to fly to Florida and talk with President-elect Donald Trump. It is possible that he has already been given carte blanche to work on the Cyprus issue.