Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman has accused President Nikos Christodoulides of abandoning the balanced foreign policy of previous Republic of Cyprus governments, claiming the current government is steering Cyprus into a dangerous geopolitical dependence on the United States, Israel, France, and Greece.
Speaking in an interview with Turkish broadcaster A Haber on Tuesday, Erhürman argued that Nicosia’s growing network of military and trade alliances compromises the island’s security and relies on a futile strategy to counter Turkey’s regional influence.
Erhürman stated that Christodoulides has consistently sought to involve international partners as “big brothers” to mitigate security concerns regarding Turkey, an approach he described as an ineffective effort that yields no real balance of power. Instead, the Turkish Cypriot official warned that these pacts diminish the Greek Cypriot side’s independent political will and heighten regional friction.
He specifically pointed to military cooperation at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos, asserting that converting the facility into a operations hub for Israel and Western militaries exposes the entire island to retaliation without the consent of the Turkish Cypriot community.
“They do not make us partners in the decisions, but they make us partners in the risk,” Erhürman said, referencing emergency evacuations near Paphos following recent Iranian missile strikes as evidence of a shared threat. He further claimed that Nicosia’s strategic alignment with India to secure a position along a projected US-backed India–Europe trade corridor is legally flawed and unworkable. Citing a previous declaration by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Erhürman maintained that no maritime, energy, or trade corridor can operate effectively in the eastern Mediterranean while excluding Turkey and Turkish Cypriots, who remain equal founding partners of the island.
The Turkish Cypriot leader also addressed growing domestic discomfort within the government-controlled areas regarding extensive Israeli real estate acquisitions, stating that local purchases of entire villages and large land tracts have triggered public anxiety. Expressing deep distrust toward the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over ongoing regional casualties, Erhürman reiterated that lasting stability can only be achieved through inclusive regional frameworks rather than isolationist alliances.
