The Republic of Cyprus’ intention to join NATO has not gone unnoticed by Russian media. Discussions about Cyprus’ potential NATO membership have prompted commentary from Russian political analysts, such as Alexei Yaroshenko, who argued that due to the unresolved Cyprus issue, such a move is not feasible.
The analyst claimed that resolving the conflict could only occur if Ankara ceased recognising “Northern Cyprus,” which he deemed unlikely. Consequently, the prospect of Cyprus joining NATO, despite being proposed by Nicosia and supported by President Joe Biden, will remain theoretical.
The Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta ran an article titled “Cyprus May Be Accepted into NATO Instead of Ukraine,” noting that “a meeting of the Ukraine–NATO Council was held in Brussels to address the Russian hypersonic threat, without the participation of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who visited Greece and reportedly discussed strengthening Cyprus-NATO relations.”
Some Russian media outlets claim that, given NATO’s increasing aggressiveness, Cyprus’ membership in the alliance could exacerbate regional tensions, including with Greece, and lead to unpredictable consequences.
“The decision to join a military bloc known for its aggressive policies contradicts the desire for peace and stability on the island. Instead of striving for a multipolar world, Cyprus is choosing a path that could escalate conflicts and military tensions in the region. Such a step does not contribute to solving the island’s pressing issues but creates new risks and threats.”
Russian concerns about losing Cyprus as a friendly nation
Meanwhile, other Russian media have expressed concerns that Cyprus, traditionally considered friendly toward Russia, may lose this characteristic. This raises questions about the transfer of funds and the sale of real estate by Russian investors.
In this context, a Ukrainian analyst and former Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (2021–2022) commented on “X”:
“Rich Russians and Russian officials are very concerned about the information that Cyprus is allegedly planning to join NATO. It is known that many of them have assets, real estate there, and many relatives of the Russian leadership live there.
This is what they write: ‘More and more information is leaking out that Cyprus is planning to join NATO. It seems that “Cyprus region” beloved by Russians will finally cease to be friendly. It is worth considering the moving assets, as well as the sale of real estate. It is not known how things will develop further’.”
Rich Russians and Russian officials are very concerned about the information that Cyprus is allegedly planning to join NATO. It is known that many of them have assets, real estate there, and many relatives of the Russian leadership live there.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 26, 2024
This is what they write:
"More and… pic.twitter.com/Zj7Xsy8Aoi
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