Cyprus is set to buy three advanced Israeli weapons systems, following a high-level summit between President Nikos Christodoulides, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The meeting in Jerusalem, held on Monday, 22 December, signals a profound deepening of the strategic axis between the two nations. While the specific nature of the hardware remains classified, sources confirmed the systems are “essential” for the operational modernisation of the National Guard. The procurement will be funded via the €1.2 billion SAFE EU financial instrument, with Christodoulides noting that strengthening the Republic’s military capabilities remains a “top priority” for his administration.
The partnership extends beyond mere sales into industrial co-production. The two leaders agreed to foster joint ventures between Israeli defence giants and the emerging Cypriot arms industry, a move designed to secure EU funding and establish Cyprus as a regional hub for military technology. This collaboration is set to be tested through a series of intensified bilateral and trilateral military exercises scheduled for 2026.
Energy and infrastructure also dominated the agenda. In a breakthrough for the long-stalled Aphrodite-Ishai gas field dispute, the leaders set a firm deadline of late January 2026 to resolve all outstanding management issues. Furthermore, the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) electricity cable may now be expedited by starting construction on the Cyprus–Israel link. Netanyahu reportedly plans to discuss integrating this network into the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) during his scheduled visit with US President-elect Donald Trump at the White House on 29 December.
The talks took on a sharp geopolitical edge as Netanyahu voiced “intense dissatisfaction” with Turkey’s role in the region, specifically its support for groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. Netanyahu’s remarks about leaders attempting to “restore their empires” were a direct reference to Ankara’s influence.
Central to this regional vision is a proposal by President Christodoulides to include Lebanon in the burgeoning energy and digital network.
Seeking to leverage Cyprus’s upcoming EU Presidency, Netanyahu requested Nicosia’s help in “changing the image” of Israel within Europe. He also expressed interest in Israel participating in a new EU-funded fire safety centre to be headquartered in Cyprus, further integrating Israel into European civil protection frameworks.
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Cyprus, Israel and Greece frame cooperation as gateway to broader IMEC infrastructure initiative