Moldovan head of state, President of Cyprus discuss European integration

President Maia Sandu today paid an official visit to Cyprus, at an invitation by  President Nikos Christodoulides. This is the first visit of a Moldovan head of state to Cyprus in the past two decades and comes as Cyprus is set to assume the rotating Presidency of the European Union Council on January 1, 2026.

The discussions between President Maia Sandu and her counterpart focused on Moldova's European path, the security situation in Europe, joint support for Ukraine and the efforts needed to restore peace on the continent, as well as prospects for deepening the Moldovan-Cypriot relations. The Moldovan head of state reiterated the country's strong commitment to advancing in the process of joining the European Union and to consistently implementing the reforms needed, in order to align with EU standards. In this regard, President Maia Sandu highlighted the importance of support on behalf of the EU member states at this crucial stage, underscoring the role Cyprus can play during its Presidency of the EU Council.

At the joint press conference, President Maia Sandu emphasized: "For us, accession to the European Union is not just a strategic goal - it is the most important national project since gaining independence. It is a survival strategy in a context where an aggressor continues to threaten our sovereignty."

For his part, President Nikos Christodoulides reaffirmed Cyprus' unequivocal support for our Moldova's European integration, praising the progress of reforms.

The two leaders also discussed the development of the bilateral cooperation, targeting such areas as trade, tourism - supported by the existence of direct flights - and the energy sector.

During the visit to Cyprus, the head of state also met President of the House of Representatives Annita Demetriou, with whom she discussed strengthening interparliamentary cooperation and fortifying relations between Chisinau and Nicosia.