The trilateral meeting between President Nikos Christodoulides, the Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman and the personal envoy of the UN Secretary General, María Ángela Holguín, did not deliver the outcome many had hoped for. It did not open the way for the convening of a new five party conference. This in itself may not come as a surprise. It is, however, a reminder that time is no longer an ally of Cyprus.
In eleven months the term of António Guterres will come to an end. The current Secretary General of the United Nations, despite the limits and difficulties he faces, has a deep knowledge of the Cyprus problem and has invested political capital in keeping the process alive. No one can guarantee that the next Secretary General will show the same interest or that the Cyprus issue will remain high on the agenda of a United Nations already under strain from wars, geopolitical crises and great power rivalries, and which above all is facing a crisis of confidence as a result of the aggressive policies of Donald Trump.
The international environment is becoming increasingly unstable. From Ukraine to the Middle East, from United States China relations to the new security challenges confronting Europe, balances are shifting rapidly. In such conditions, frozen conflicts do not mature and risk being pushed to the margins. A divided Cyprus, without a prospect of a solution, risks being transformed from a European issue of principle into a low priority pending matter.
For this reason, resolving the Cyprus problem as soon as possible, ideally within 2026, should not be a pious wish. It is a strategic necessity for both communities. Stagnation is not a condition of safety, as it produces faits accomplis, entrenches division in the minds of younger generations and strengthens the perception that reunification is not feasible.
We are not starting from zero. Decades of negotiations have created an extensive body of convergences on key chapters, specifically on governance, property, the economy and the functioning of a reunited federal Cyprus within the European Union. This accumulated negotiating legacy is valuable. The final mile is always the most difficult but also the most decisive. This is where political courage is required, without tactical manoeuvring that proves tempting for both sides.
Delay tactics may serve short term domestic purposes. Historically, however, Cyprus has paid a high price for every missed opportunity. Today, more than ever, confidence is required that a shared future is possible and the will to invest in it, before the window closes, this time for good.