Greek Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulidis and U.S. President Joe Biden have formalised a joint plan for Greek Cyprus's participation in NATO.
Following the defence equipment restrictions being lifted by the U.S. to Greek Cyprus in 2024, the Biden administration has taken another step with open support for NATO membership.
Greek news outlet Kathimerini has reported the three-step plan for NATO membership as boosting relations with NATO, acquiring U.S.-made weaponry, and re-structuring the military to NATO standards.
However, the plan's first leg is a wrestle with Turkiye's objection, if that would be the kindest way of putting it. Solving the decades-long dispute between Turkiye-TRNC and Greece-Greek Cyprus blocks would only be easier said than done. Greek Cyprus' history of heavy-duty weapons acquirement attempts against TRNC and Turkiye's cooperation with France, another NATO member who has heavily strained relations with Turkiye, can be given as some of the factors, leaving only the mention of this as easy.
After the formation of TRNC following the Cyprus Peace Operation by Turkiye, Greece and Greek Cyprus's insistence on a single-state solution has remained going for decades. This, combined with up-arming efforts, will result in a free ticket to objection by Turkiye from the get-go.
Additionally, while the Biden administration supports Greek Cyprus' NATO membership, what will happen with Donald Trump taking office following the election results is unclear.
