Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his position in favor of a two-state solution in Cyprus during a brief visit to the island’s Turkish-occupied north on Sunday, which coincided with the dour anniversary of Turkey’s 1974 military intervention, a date celebrated in the occupied areas but widely condemned in the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus.
Erdogan’s statements signaled his continuing intransigence vis-a-vis the Cyprus issue, and reaffirmed Turkey’s standing support for the illegally established – by Turkey in 1983 – Turkish Cypriot pseudo-state, which is recognized only by Ankara.
Speaking warmly about Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar and his “vision”, Erdogan again claimed that “…there are two states on Cyprus,” while calling for the international community to establish political, economic, and diplomatic relations with the self-declared “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.”
No Progress Until October
The timing of Erdogan’s visit also reflects a current diplomatic freeze in the Cyprus peace process. Political developments in the occupied north, particularly an upcoming presidential election in October, have stalled even the prospect of restarting negotiations. This was evident in the recent informal multilateral meeting on Cyprus in New York, which ended with an anticipated decision to postpone any substantive talks until after the October vote.
A Turkish Air Force F16 fighter jet escorts a plane carrying Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan before landing at Ercan Airport in the Turkish-occupied part of Nicosia, Cyprus, July 20, 2025. Mustafa Kamaci/Handout via REUTERS
There is growing skepticism about what, if anything, could change after the elections. Erdogan’s rhetoric offered little hope for a return to a solution based on international law or previous UN frameworks. Instead, he appeared to be moving further in the direction of legitimizing the island’s division.
A Firm Response from Nicosia
President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides issued a strong rebuttal. He reiterated that a two-state solution would never be accepted and emphasized that not “an inch of land” would be ceded to Turkey. Christodoulides also tied Turkey’s ongoing occupation of the island’s north to Ankara’s broader strategic ambitions.
“The occupation of the Republic of Cyprus — European territory — prevents Turkey from achieving its strategic goals, whether regarding its European aspirations or its desired regional role,” he said. He added that the ‘cost of occupation’ continues to grow for Turkey, while Cyprus is working to strengthen its international standing. Nonetheless, he signaled readiness to resume negotiations, “on the basis of the agreed framework,” while placing responsibility for movement squarely on Ankara.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attend a military parade to mark the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus in the Turkish-occupied north of the island, July 20, 2025. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
A Social Media Misstep
A notable misstep by Erdogan’s social media team drew unexpected attention during the visit. A post celebrating the 1974 invasion included a historical photo showing armed men waving a Turkish flag. However, the image was not from the invasion but from the 1963–64 intercommunal violence, and the fighters depicted were not Turkish Cypriots, but Greek Cypriots who had just captured a Turkish outpost near the medieval castle of St. Hilarion in the Pentadaktylos mountain range. The Turkish flag was, in fact, a war prize.
The erroneous post was quickly taken down and replaced, this time mislabeling the individuals as “EOKA terrorists” — another inaccuracy. The incident sparked reactions across both communities and underscored the symbolic sensitivity of the day.
