Under Secretary for Political Affairs of the US State Department, Victoria Nuland, on Thursday met in Nicosia President Nicos Anastasiades and confidence building measures aiming to boost Cyprus’ reunification efforts were also discussed.
Nuland, who is visiting democracies around the world calling for support for Ukraine in any way that they can, arrived in Cyprus on Wednesday.
The crisis in Ukraine but also latest developments in the Cyprus problem came under discussion with the goal being the strengthening of bilateral relations.
On Wednesday, after talks with Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides, she referred to controversial reports about the US asking Cyprus to transfer some Russian weapons to Ukraine.
Nuland said: “It is not for the United States to ask for Cyprus, it is for Cyprus to make its own decisions about what it wants to, and can do.”
On the security partnership between Cyprus and the US, she noted that as Foreign Minister Kasoulides said it is growing and broadening.
“Four years ago, when I was here, our security partnership was like this, and now you see this building (CyCLOPS training center) and all we are doing together. We also have US investments here, we are talking about energy security, but most importantly, in this moment when democracy is under threat,” she said.
“We are talking about the importance of security and territorial integrity and respect for international law, we are enormously grateful to the Republic of Cyprus for its solidarity, with all of us in the transatlantic community, the global community of democracies that have chosen to stand with Ukraine, because Ukraine is fighting for the same values and principles for which the United States stands. So we have a lot to talk,” she added.
