The US State Department has issued a final rule amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations to specify that Cyprus’ status as a proscribed destination is suspended from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027. This action continues the department’s current policy, which lifted the arms embargo on Cyprus as of Oct. 1, 2022.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio certified that the Greek-Cypriot government met Congressional requirements. Cyprus has cooperated on anti-money laundering reforms and continues to deny Russian military vessels access to its ports under sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
Under the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act and the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, the arms embargo remains in place unless the President certifies annually that Cyprus is cooperating with US efforts on financial regulatory reforms and preventing Russian naval access.
Cyprus had been subject to US arms export restrictions as part of broader policy considerations in the Eastern Mediterranean region. At the same time, Turkeyey, which keeps 35,000 troops army on the occupied northern third of the island is pushing to get US-made F-35 fighter jets and not subject to an embargo.
The first time the embargo was lifted was in September 2020. The US lifted restrictions on selling “non-lethal” military goods to Cyprus for a one-year period beginning October 1, 2020, following authorization in the 2019 Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act.
On September 2022, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken fully lifted defense trade restrictions for the 2023 fiscal year, allowing Cyprus to acquire American defense articles subject to annual reviews. Since then, the State Department lifts the embargo on selling arms to the Republic of Cyprus on a yearly basis.
Turkey reacts to the embargo suspension
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry pushed back firmly against the new US decision to extend the suspension of its arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot Administration for another year.
Turkey claims that the embargo suspension is linked directly to what it called intensive Greek Cypriot armament activity that it said is damaging stability across the wider region.
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