A recent article by former British diplomat William Mallinson asks whether Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could- of all things-be the pair to finally solve the Cyprus problem. Published in E-International Relations, the piece frames the island’s unresolved status as a potential bargaining chip in a broader geopolitical shuffle.
Let’s be clear: this is not diplomacy, it’s delusion.
The idea that two leaders with a track record of fuelling division and war could somehow broker peace in Cyprus is not just naive- it’s deeply dangerous. Trump, who destabilised NATO and abandoned allies, and Putin, who is currently waging war on Ukraine, are hardly champions of sovereignty or human rights. The notion that they’d sit down and fairly negotiate over Cyprus- rather than trade it for influence- is ludicrous.
A crisis of credibility
The article imagines two main scenarios:
- Partition with neutrality—where Russia recognises the occupied north in exchange for a non-NATO alignment.
- “Double union” with Greece and Turkey, which would effectively cement NATO control and erase any semblance of Cypriot autonomy.
Neither option prioritises justice, reunification, or the rights of Cypriots. These aren’t peace plans- they’re power games dressed up as strategy.
Let’s not forget: Cyprus has been here before. It was promised independence and instead got division, foreign troops, and military bases. The continued presence of the British Sovereign Base Areas already limits national sovereignty- do we really want to entertain ideas that further reduce Cypriots to spectators in their own future?
Whose interests, exactly?
The article rightly notes that Cyprus remains caught in the web of larger powers- NATO, Turkey, Israel, and Russia all have stakes in the island. But treating those interests as equal or more important than the will of the people is exactly the mindset that’s blocked progress for decades.
This isn’t a chessboard. It’s a country. It’s people’s homes. And the solution must come with Cypriots, not despite them.
Conclusion:
If history has taught us anything, it’s that Cyprus cannot- and should not- be “solved” by leaders who don’t live here, don’t understand the complexity on the ground, and have repeatedly proven willing to sacrifice smaller nations for political capital.
Trump and Putin can’t solve Cyprus. They can barely solve their own crises. What this island needs is accountability, justice, and genuine diplomacy, not another backroom deal between power-hungry men.
