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U.S. Renews Cyprus Defense Export Waiver for 2027

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 4:00 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The United States renewed a waiver permitting defense exports, re-exports and transfers to Cyprus for the 2027 fiscal year.
Cyprus’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the waiver, saying it deepens the strategic partnership and boosts regional stability.
U.S. Ambassador John Breslow met President Nikos Christodoulides and discussed security, visa-waiver and energy projects.
AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik condemned the waiver as wrong, warning it damages Turkey-Cyprus trust.

History

Historical Context

After Turkey’s 1974 invasion of Cyprus, President Gerald Ford ordered a U.S. arms embargo on Turkey that lasted three years until President Jimmy Carter lifted it in 1977, while an embargo on Cyprus persisted for decades. The United States ended the Cyprus embargo in December 2019 and has renewed a one-year defense waiver each year, most recently in September 2024, shaping today’s diplomatic balance.

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Story summary

The United States renewed a waiver permitting defense exports, re-exports and transfers to Cyprus for the 2027 fiscal year.
Cyprus’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the waiver, saying it deepens the strategic partnership and boosts regional stability.
U.S. Ambassador John Breslow met President Nikos Christodoulides and discussed security, visa-waiver and energy projects.
AKP spokesman Ömer Çelik condemned the waiver as wrong, warning it damages Turkey-Cyprus trust.

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