President: Conclusions reflect that threats to the EU are not limited to Russia

President Nikos Christodoulides underlined the importance of the fact that the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council on defence take into account that threats to the security of Europe are not limited to Russia, in statements to journalists in Brussels on 6 March.

The President was referring to the main points of his intervention during the debate on EU defence and security. He added that in his intervention he also focused on support to the European defence industry, which can also benefit the growing Cypriot defence industry, Cyprus' agreement with the Commission’s proposal to exempt defence spending from fiscal rules on debt, and the country’s position that cooperation with NATO must respect the principles of autonomy, non-exclusion and transparency.

Noting that the debate on defence, especially for some member states, is taking place in the light of developments in Ukraine, he added that after interventions from Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Spain, the conclusions included “specific reference to the fact that threats to the security of Europe are not limited to the Russian Federation".

"Threats in relation to the European Union extend to other regions,” the President said, expressing his appreciation for the fact that a significant number of member states mentioned “the need to pay attention to the Middle East more broadly,” adding that himself and the Greek Prime Minister brought up also the importance of the Eastern Mediterranean.

More generally on the development of European defence, the President referred to "a debate that should have been held a long time ago," as it has been said that the EU "depended for our defence and security on a third country, depended for our energy on another third country, and for raw materials on another country".

"You realise that all this dependence could not lead to the strategic autonomy of the European Union which is, I think, a common goal of the 27 member states," he noted.

The President added that in his intervention he particularly stressed that the reason for the debate may be "developments in Ukraine or the fact that the new US administration has a possibly different approach with regard to transatlantic relations, defence and security issues in Europe", but this debate "is primarily about achieving the strategic autonomy of the European Union".

The decisions to be taken by the College of Commissioners before the next regular European Council will also serve this objective, as European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, informed the leaders, he added.

President Christodoulides also stressed that "investments in the defence sector should primarily help the European defence industry", which several leaders agreed with.

As he pointed out, in this way "new jobs will also be created," adding that "there are promising companies in Cyprus, companies that employ many young Cypriots, which can contribute to this effort, it is something that we as a government invest in." In this context, he added, the government proceeded with the creation of the Defence Industry Council and the inclusion of a clause that "in any armaments that the Republic of Cyprus proceeds with, Cypriot companies must be involved."

Regarding the EU's cooperation with NATO, the President recalled that several member states are NATO allies, adding that this is something to which the Republic of Cyprus is “not negative, we are not opposed", as long as the EU's basic principles of cooperation are fully accepted: autonomy in decision-making, respect for the specificities of each organisation, non-exclusion, and transparency.

He also stressed that the Republic of Cyprus, "taking into account the specificities of some member states in relation to public debt," supports the Commission's proposal to exclude defence spending from the national public debt, "even though the Republic of Cyprus does not need to at this stage.”

(Source: CNA, PIO)