By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
United States (US) Ambassador John Breslow said Washington would "protect Cyprus in the future" as the US and the Republic of Cyprus (RoC) expand military cooperation under their 2024-2029 defense roadmap.
The cooperation includes plans for more US warship visits, additional joint exercises, expansion of facilities at Paphos airport and continued work through the US-funded Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas and Port Security (CYCLOPS).
Breslow made the remarks in his first interview since taking up the post in September, speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) aboard the USS Roosevelt during its visit to Limassol. The interview came days after a US military contingent joined the RoC's October 1 military parade for the first time.
Asked about possible North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership, Breslow said the decision would begin with the Cypriot people, then pointed to cooperation already under way with Washington.
"The capabilities that the United States and Cyprus are creating together are almost like NATO," he said. Breslow added that the US "will protect Cyprus in the future" and said he expected Washington to remain "very, very supportive."
The wording goes beyond the language normally used for bilateral defense cooperation. It does not constitute a new US treaty commitment or security guarantee. Bosphorus News found no separate State Department or Pentagon announcement defining such an obligation.
Defense Roadmap Moves Ahead
Breslow said implementation of the five-year roadmap was progressing well.
He cited planned expansion of facilities at Paphos airport and continued cooperation through CYCLOPS. The US-funded center has provided training in areas including cybersecurity and border security, largely with support from the New Jersey National Guard.
More US destroyers and other naval vessels are also expected to visit Cyprus, while further joint activities are planned. Breslow said some military plans could not yet be made public.
The RoC government has already placed these programs at the center of its relationship with Washington.
When Breslow presented his credentials on September 9, President Nikos Christodoulides listed the 2024-2029 roadmap, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Excess Defense Articles (EDA), expanded training and exercises, and defense infrastructure cooperation among the main elements of what Nicosia calls its strategic partnership with the US.
Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas reinforced that line after the October 1 parade, saying the ministry would continue modernizing the RoC's defense capabilities and upgrading its strategic partnerships.
The National Guard said senior military representatives from the US, Greece, Britain, France and Egypt attended the parade. US Sixth Fleet Destroyer Squadron commander Capt. Kelechi Ndukwe was among those listed.
Longer ITAR Cycle Under Discussion
Breslow also addressed US restrictions on defense trade with the RoC.
He said there was growing Senate interest in replacing the current annual renewal mechanism with a three- or five-year arrangement, citing Senator Cory Booker. Breslow did not present that as administration policy, noting that decisions rest with Congress and the president.
The RoC Foreign Ministry welcomed Washington's September decision to renew the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) exemption for fiscal year 2027. It said the measure allowed the export, re-export and transfer of US defense articles and services to Cyprus and pointed to congressional efforts to create a longer-term framework.
Ankara objected.
Türkiye's Foreign Ministry said on September 12 that the Greek Cypriot side was undermining regional stability through what Ankara called "intensive armament activities" and urged that steps which could further erode trust between the island's two sides be avoided.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Ministry issued a parallel objection, warning against steps that could trigger further armament and calling for the Eastern Mediterranean's security balance to be taken into account.
Bosphorus News found no separate public response from Ankara or TRNC authorities to Breslow's October 4 remarks at the time of publication.
Defense Ties Advance as Cyprus Talks Remain Stalled
US-RoC defense cooperation is expanding while efforts to restart substantive Cyprus negotiations remain unresolved.
Sunday's Greek Cypriot press reflected that uncertainty. Politis examined what it called the "post-Guterres era," publishing assessments from German and Indian diplomats on the ability of a divided Cyprus to act independently amid growing regional tensions.
Phileleftheros reported separately that Christodoulides had included the return of fenced-off Varosha and the opening of Famagusta port in a package of proposals aimed at restarting negotiations. Its separate report said the concept would link Varosha's return with operation of the port under European Commission supervision.
No agreement on such a package between the two sides has been announced.
The RoC is pursuing closer military ties with Washington alongside broader security partnerships in the Eastern Mediterranean. Türkiye and the TRNC continue to oppose the easing of US arms restrictions and the expansion of Greek Cypriot military capabilities.
The defense roadmap, training, infrastructure cooperation and weapons-access mechanisms are established parts of the relationship. Breslow's statement that the US will "protect Cyprus" goes further, but remains an ambassadorial declaration rather than a newly defined US defense guarantee.
Sources: Cyprus News Agency, Republic of Cyprus Presidency, Republic of Cyprus Ministry of Defence, Republic of Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, TRNC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Politis, Philenews, Bosphorus News review and reporting.