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EU Calls Turkish Plans for Cyprus Unacceptable

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, January 31, 2020. (AP)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, January 31, 2020. (AP)
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EU Calls Turkish Plans for Cyprus Unacceptable

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, January 31, 2020. (AP)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell during a press conference in Belgrade, Serbia, January 31, 2020. (AP)

The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell voiced deep concern on Tuesday over Turkish plans for the divided island of Cyprus, calling them unacceptable.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said peace talks can take place only between “the two states” on the Mediterranean island, a position rejected by Greek Cypriots and the EU. Turkish Cypriot officials also announced plans for the potential resettlement of a small part of an abandoned Greek Cypriot suburb of Varosha.

“The High Representative of the European Union expresses his deep concern over the announcements made by (Turkish) President (Tayyip) Erdogan and Mr. (Ersin) Tatar on 20 July 2021, with respect to the fenced-off area of Varosha, which constitutes an unacceptable unilateral decision to change the status of Varosha,” Borrell said in a statement.

“The EU once again underlines the need to avoid unilateral actions in breach of international law and renewed provocations, which could raise tensions on the island and compromise a return to talks on a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue,” Borrell said.

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Putin Vows to Further Develop Ties with Xi Just Hours After Trump Inauguration 

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a videocall with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on January 21, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP)
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a videocall with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on January 21, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP)
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Putin Vows to Further Develop Ties with Xi Just Hours After Trump Inauguration 

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a videocall with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on January 21, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP)
In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin holds a videocall with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on January 21, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP)

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in which he proposed further developing their strategic partnership just hours after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th US president.

Putin waved at Xi and addressed Chairman Xi as his "dear friend", saying he wanted to outline "new plans for the development of the Russian-Chinese comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation."

The Kremlin released a video of their meeting.

"I agree with you that cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is based on a broad commonality of national interests and a convergence of views on what relations between major powers should be," Putin told Xi.

"We build our ties on the basis of friendship, mutual trust and support, equality and mutual benefit. These connections are self-sufficient, independent of domestic political factors and the current global situation."

Russia, waging war against NATO-supplied Ukrainian forces, and China, under pressure from a concerted US effort to counter its growing military and economic strength, have increasingly found common geopolitical cause.

Putin and Xi, who have pushed back against the perceived humiliations of the 1991 Soviet collapse and centuries of European colonial dominance of China, have sought to portray the West as decadent and in decline.

The United States casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat. Former US President Joe Biden has said the world's democracies face a challenge from "autocracies" such as China and Russia.