Turkey has rejected Cyprus’s move to pursue NATO membership, labeling it “unacceptable” and citing it as a disruption to regional stability.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense responded to President Nikos Christodoulides’ recent confirmation of the Republic of Cyprus’s intentions to join the military alliance. According to Ekathimerini, the Turkish ministry emphasized that Nicosia has no valid basis for its application, asserting that such efforts are unacceptable for Turkey.
“Turkey, as a NATO member, reminds that decisions on the expansion of the alliance are made unanimously, and asserts that these processes must be conducted with consideration for national security interests,” stated sources from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The ministry underscored that Ankara would use its veto power to block any attempts by Cyprus to join NATO, reaffirming its position that such an initiative would undermine the delicate balance concerning the Cyprus issue and hinder ongoing peace negotiations.
On Thursday, President Christodoulides mentioned to the Associated Press that Cyprus could seek NATO membership once its armed forces receive training and equipment from the U.S. to meet the alliance’s standards. During a recent trip to Washington, Christodoulides met with President Joe Biden, who is set to leave office soon. In September, Cyprus and the U.S. signed a defense cooperation framework to improve their joint response to regional humanitarian and security challenges, including climate change—a move that Turkey condemned.
