External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Cyprus from May 27 to 28 to participate in the informal meeting of European Union (EU) Foreign Ministers, known as the Gymnich meeting, as a special invitee.
The visit was undertaken at the invitation of EU High Representative and Vice President Kaja Kallas and Cyprus Foreign Minister Dr. Constantinos Kombos.
During the visit, EAM Jaishankar attended a working session of the Gymnich meeting on May 28, where discussions focused on relevant policy issues of shared interest, in particular the geopolitical impact of developments in the West Asia/Middle East and the wider region.
On the sidelines of the Gymnich meeting, EAM Jaishankar held bilateral talks with several senior leaders, including Kallas, Kombos, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno.
The meetings provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on West Asia, the Ukraine conflict, India-EU cooperation, bilateral relations and wider regional developments.
EAM Jaishankar also called on Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia. The discussions reviewed the strong momentum in India-Cyprus relations following President Christodoulides’ state visit to India earlier this month, during which the two countries elevated bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership. ‘
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two sides also discussed further strengthening cooperation in areas including trade and investment, connectivity, defence and security, technology, innovation and people-to-people ties.
The MEA said that EAM Jaishankar’s visit reinforced India’s deepening engagement with Cyprus, the European Union and key regional partners, and further strengthened the India-EU Strategic Partnership.
