European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke out in favor of reunifying the island of Cyprus during a visit to the divided capital Lefkoşa (Nicosia) on Thursday.

A comprehensive, fair and lasting solution for the ethnically split island and all its citizens remains an "absolute priority" for the European Union, von der Leyen said.

She added in a post on the social media platform X that she hopes 2026 "will bring new momentum towards the reunification of Cyprus."

Greek Cypriot administration took over the rotating EU Council presidency on Jan 1. Von der Leyen's speech at its launch was criticized for failing to acknowledge Turkish Cypriots.

The Mediterranean island was divided in 1974 after a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at Greece's annexation. This led to Türkiye's military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was founded in 1983. The country is fully recognized only by Türkiye, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in the south.

The island has seen an on-and-off peace process in recent years, including a failed 2017 initiative in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, under the auspices of the guarantor countries.

The Greek Cypriot administration joined the European Union in 2004, the same year that they rejected a United Nations plan to resolve the dispute in a referendum.

The dividing line – the so-called Green Line – between north and south is monitored by U.N. peacekeepers.

The Turkish side strictly adheres to a two-state solution based on sovereign equality. The Greek Cypriots are seeking a federal solution.

Von der Leyen earlier said the EU would "never, ever" accept a two-state deal on the island. The dispute has been one of the key hurdles put up by the EU in Türkiye's ambitions of joining the European Union.