Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu on Sunday accused the Greek Cypriot administration of deepening its cooperation with Israel, warning that the partnership could bring consequences for the Greek Cypriot public.

Speaking to the Sabah newspaper, he referred to the Greek Cypriot administration’s growing ties with Israel, warning that the relationship was driven by shared ideological ambitions and could eventually harm Greek Cypriots.

"The Greek Cypriot administration’s most favored ally is Israel,” he said. "Just as there is an obsession with promised lands in Zionist thinking, those who follow the Megali Idea are chasing a dream of restoring Alexander the Great’s empire.”

He added that the two sides had "discovered each other like brothers,” but said he believed the Greek Cypriot side would regret the partnership.

The minister also stressed that Türkiye’s military presence on Northern Cyprus remains the main deterrent against renewed tensions on the island, as regional crises have pushed the Eastern Mediterranean back onto the international agenda.

He noted recent steps by the Greek Cypriot administration could have turned the island into a flashpoint, but were countered by what he described as "rational moves” by Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Ertuğruloğlu underlined that the deployment of six Turkish F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to the island last month had strengthened security and reassured Turkish Cypriots.

"We saw the excitement of the Cypriot Turkish people. We celebrated it like a holiday,” he said. "The motherland once again showed the world that it has never left us alone and never will.”

He said the Turkish Cypriot side does not see itself as a military target of any country involved in regional conflicts, citing the presence of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) as the reason.

"The deterrent power provided by Türkiye on the island prevents the Greek Cypriots from embarking on a new adventure or bringing brutality against Turks back onto the agenda,” Ertuğruloğlu said.

He rejected claims that the Turkish military presence on the island represents an aggressive threat, saying Turkish Cypriots have historically acted in self-defense.

"The Turkish side has never taken an aggressive position on the island,” he said. "For years, we have been struggling to protect ourselves against attacks directed at us. This is why the Turkish Armed Forces are present on the island.”

Ertuğruloğlu also criticized Greek Cypriot objections to Türkiye’s latest military deployments, saying the Greek Cypriot side had complained that its approval was not sought.

"They are detached from reality to the point of saying this,” he said. "They live in another world.”

A recent drone strike on a British base underscored the island’s exposure to conflict. In response, several European countries pledged military support to the Greek Cypriot side, while France deployed naval and air defense assets to the region.

Türkiye, in turn, deployed six F-16 jets and air defense systems to the TRNC on March 9, describing the move as a deterrent against missile and drone threats.

Ertuğruloğlu warned that the increased use of British sovereign base areas on the island by the United Kingdom and the United States during regional conflicts had made Cyprus a potential target.

He also criticized what he described as renewed efforts by Greek Cypriots to glorify EOKA, reminding the events in which students repeat EOKA oaths in military uniforms and remarks by European officials praising EOKA figures had further deepened Turkish Cypriot concerns.

A terrorist faction known for massacres of Turkish Cypriots during the second half of the 20th century.

Most recently, a group of Greek Cypriot extremists tried to attack Turkish Cypriots in the buffer zone, during a rally to celebrate the anniversary of EOKA.

"Cyprus sits in a strategic geography,” Ertuğruloğlu said. "It is a region where all major powers in the world have interests.”

He said international actors’ interest in the Cyprus issue is driven by national interests rather than concern for Turkish Cypriots, who he said continue to face "inhumane embargoes” and international isolation.

"The founding equal partner that broke the partnership was rewarded, while the Turkish Cypriot people have continued to be punished,” he said.

Ertuğruloğlu said the Cyprus issue is fundamentally a question of status and cannot be resolved through talks between unequal sides.

"The problem can only be solved through negotiations between equals,” he said. "In negotiations between unequal parties, it is not possible for the unequal sides to rise from the table as equals.”