United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends (left) a meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. [Yiannis Kourtoglou/Reuters/Pool]
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched a fresh effort on Tuesday to coax Cyprus’ rival sides back into peace talks after nearly a decade of deadlock.
His first visit to the island as UN chief comes amid signs the sides may be ready to negotiate again, but they remain divided over the ground rules for talks. Failure would prolong a dispute that strains ties between NATO allies Greece and Turkey and weighs on Ankara’s relations with the European Union.
Guterres, whose term expires at the end of 2026, met Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman separately in the capital of Nicosia on Tuesday. The three will hold joint talks on Wednesday in the UN-controlled buffer zone that divides the island.
Cypriot media have reported that the United Nations has compiled a set of ideas aimed at bridging differences between the sides, though UN officials have denied a completed plan exists.
