Cyprus’s foreign minister will press the United States to admit the country into its visa waiver programme when he meets his American counterpart in Washington later today.
Constantinos Kombos is expected to tell US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Cyprus has completed all technical requirements for entry into the Visa Waiver Programme from July 2025, according to diplomatic sources.
The meeting, scheduled for late morning local time, will cover bilateral and regional issues, energy matters and efforts to revive the 3+1 cooperation format aimed at promoting regional stability.
The agenda includes Cyprus’s 2026 EU Council presidency, which has drawn particular American interest, and Cypriot access to US defence programmes for military equipment and services.
Regional discussions will focus on Gaza and ways Cyprus can contribute to peace efforts, humanitarian aid and reconstruction, as well as developments in Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Turkey and Ukraine.
Energy security and connectivity projects will also feature, following the 3+1 energy ministers meeting in Athens on 6 November between Cyprus, Greece, Israel and the United States.
Diplomatic sources speaking to Phileleftheros emphasised the significance of today’s meeting, noting it marks Kombos’s second visit to the State Department since taking office.
The previous meeting between the US and Cypriot foreign ministers elevated the bilateral relationship to strategic status. Since taking office on 21 January 2025, Rubio has held three phone calls with Kombos, on 5 March, 20 June and 10 September.
The sources highlighted the meeting’s importance both in confirming the strategic nature of Cyprus-US relations and because it comes immediately after visits to Washington by the Turkish foreign minister and Syrian president and foreign minister on 10 November.
Kombos previously visited Israel on 8-9 November, met US National Energy Dominance Council head Doug Burgum in Manama, Bahrain on 1 November, and attended the 3+1 energy ministers meeting in Athens on 6 November. The UAE undersecretary for European affairs visited Cyprus on 7 November.
