Moldovan president participates in official opening of Cypriot Presidency of EU Council

President State Maia Sandu today is participating in the official launch of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event, hosted by the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, brings together European officials, including the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Maia Sandu welcomed Cyprus taking over the Presidency of the EU Council and conveyed a message of congratulations to the country’s president. At the same time, the official expressed her gratitude to the authorities in Copenhagen, which held the presidency in the second half of 2025.

“Best wishes to Cyprus, which is taking over the Presidency of the European Union, and to President Christodoulides. We look with hope and confidence to the months ahead. Sincere thanks to Denmark and the Prime Minister for the leadership and dedication showed over the past six months,” Maia Sandu said.

Cyprus assumed the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union starting January 1, this year, for a six-month term. Accordingly, Cyprus’s mandate will last until June 30, 2026, and involves coordinating Council of the EU meetings at ministerial level and facilitating negotiations among the 27 member states.

During the Cypriot presidency, more legislative drafts already under procedure will require continued negotiations between the Council, the European Parliament, and the European Commission. The role of the Council Presidency will be to maintain a balance between the interests of the member states and the positions of the other European institutions, with a view to advancing or finalizing the files.

Cyprus has been an EU member state for 21 years, with a population of approximately one million, and has a particular geopolitical context. The island is divided between the southern part, under the control of the Greek Cypriot authorities, and the northern part, administered by Turkish Cypriots.