The European Council will help Cyprus. This is for talks with the United Kingdom. The talks are about UK military bases on the island. The EU leaders agreed on this. This happened after a meeting on Thursday. Cyprus has been thinking more about the bases. A recent drone incident at Akrotiri base made this more important.
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides wants to talk about the bases. He wants an "open and frank" discussion. The UK government says they are not reviewing the bases. UK officials like Al Carns and John Healey said this. Mr. Healey visited Cyprus. He talked to people there. The question of new talks is still open.
Cyprus is worried about problems in the region. This is especially true in the Middle East. This makes the bases more sensitive. The drone at Akrotiri showed this. Akrotiri is important for watching and gathering information. President Christodoulides called the bases a "colonial remnant." Some Cypriots agree with him. Also, over 10,000 Cypriots live near the bases. The Cyprus government must protect them.
The EU supports Cyprus. The Council said they are "ready to assist when needed." This is good for Cyprus. It may help them in talks with the UK. The UK has not changed its position. But the EU is now involved. This could change how they talk.
Some groups in Cyprus want the bases to close. The Akel party thinks the bases are old. They worry about Cyprus being in conflicts. The CTP party in Turkish Cyprus also has opinions. Their deputy leader, Asim Akansoy, spoke about it. The European Commission President is Ursula von der Leyen. She deals with many important international issues.
The EU's decision makes this a bigger issue. It is not just between Cyprus and the UK. It is now part of European security. This could lead to more talks. Cyprus wants to use the EU's support. They want to start real talks with the UK soon. This issue has a long history. It is also important for today's security.