US Senator Rick Scott delivered sharp criticism of Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a visit to Nicosia’s Green Line, holding Ankara directly responsible for Cyprus’ continued division and urging Turkey to behave as a genuine ally of the United States.
The Republican senator from Florida, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower, visited Cyprus and toured the UN-controlled buffer zone in Nicosia.
In a video of his visit shared on X, Scott made his position clear regarding responsibility for the island’s current situation.
“All of this was caused by Turkey and Erdoğan,” he said, describing the situation as a violation of an independent country’s sovereignty.
He stressed that Cyprus should be “one country, fully independent”, with its citizens free to determine their own future.
‘Act like allies’
The US senator directly linked Turkey’s actions in Cyprus to its NATO membership and President Erdoğan’s efforts to maintain close relations with Washington.
Scott noted that Erdoğan presents himself as someone who wants to be an ally and friend of the United States, while Turkey remains a NATO member.
“Why don’t they act like allies? Act like allies. Treat other sovereign countries with respect,” he said.
Scott also expressed his support for Cyprus’ reunification, stating that “Cyprus needs to be united” and that there should be no need for a buffer zone dividing the island.
Official statement from Scott’s office
The Republican senator’s remarks were not limited to the video circulated on social media.
An official statement issued by his Senate office said that his visit to Cyprus was intended, among other objectives, to reaffirm his support for the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus in the face of what it described as the “illegal Turkish military occupation” and political pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Scott stated that a strong and reunified Cyprus would facilitate economic activity across the region and strengthen efforts to counter aggressive actions, referring to both Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
He was particularly explicit in stating that “the primary obstacle to Cypriot sovereignty right now is Turkey”.
Scott added that progress would remain impossible unless Erdoğan and his government began fulfilling their obligations as NATO members.
Energy cooperation and the Eastern Mediterranean
During his visit to Cyprus, Rick Scott met with US Ambassador John Breslow and Cypriot Energy Minister Michalis Damianos.
Discussions focused on energy cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the development of infrastructure connecting Europe with the Middle East, at a time when the United States is seeking to increase its oil and natural gas exports to the region.
Following the meeting, Damianos said that discussions had covered energy supply security, diversification of energy sources and routes, and the Eastern Mediterranean’s broader strategic importance.
Scott’s remarks carry additional political significance given his positions on two key US Senate committees dealing with foreign policy and defence.
They also come against the backdrop of his visit to Cyprus itself, where he stood overlooking the dividing line that continues to separate Nicosia more than 52 years after Turkey’s 1974 invasion.
Source: Protothema.gr
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