President Nikos Christodoulides met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon.
The bilateral meeting, which took place at 17:30, focused heavily on energy, defence, innovation, and tourism. The discussions served as a precursor to the 10th Trilateral Summit, where the two leaders will be joined by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Central to the energy agenda is the “energy highway” or Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), intended to link the electrical grids of the three nations, as well as the potential for a reliable natural gas corridor to Europe.
Earlier on Monday, President Christodoulides was received by the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog.
The summit occurs just days before Cyprus assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 January 2026. Nicosia intends to use its presidency to present “tangible projects” that strengthen the European Union’s cooperation with the wider Middle East, according to government spokespeople.
While media reports in Greece had speculated on the formation of a joint “rapid-response force,” the Cypriot Ministry of Defence recently denied that any such formal agreement was under consideration for this summit. Instead, the three allies are expected to focus on enhancing maritime security, cybersecurity, and emergency response coordination.
The leaders are also exploring the further strengthening of the “3+1” cooperation framework with the participation of the United States. Following the conclusion of the trilateral working session, the three heads of government will sign a joint cooperation declaration and deliver statements to the press before attending a working dinner.
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