Moldovan President attends launch of Cyprus EU Council Presidency

Moldovan President Maia Sandu is participating today 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, will bring together European officials, including the President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.

Maia Sandu welcomed Cyprus’s assumption of the EU Council Presidency and conveyed congratulations to the Cypriot president. She also expressed gratitude to the authorities in Copenhagen, who 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 forward with hope and confidence to the months ahead. Sincere thanks to Denmark and the Prime Minister for their leadership and dedication over the past six months,” Sandu said.

Cyprus assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on January 1 and will hold it for six months, until June 30, 2026. The presidency involves coordinating ministerial-level Council meetings and facilitating negotiations among the 27 member states.

During Cyprus’s mandate, several legislative proposals already under consideration will require continued negotiations between the Council, the European Parliament, and the European Commission. The role of the Council Presidency will be to maintain balance between the interests of member states and the positions of other EU institutions, in order to advance or finalize files.

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