Adaptation and transition: the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Cypriot-Russian relations

The impact of the Ukraine war on EU member states’ foreign policy and civil society, given the Union’s severe measures against Russia, requires rigorous academic attention. Cyprus is a special case because of its multifaceted ties with Russia, which have been mainly developed upon three pillars: economic, diplomatic, and cultural/religious. Since 2018, systemic developments stemming from Western reaction to the annexation of Crimea have undermined Cypriot-Russian economic relations, but diplomatic and cultural ties remained strong. However, the 2022 invasion seems to have affected even the most solid pillars of Cypriot-Russian friendship. To test this hypothesis, this article examines the consequences of the war at three levels: systemic effects that relate to geopolitical developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the renewed great power competition; Cyprus’ policy in the Council of the EU; and internal balances in the Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus.