Norway has ended its decades-long defence export embargo on Cyprus, marking a significant shift in bilateral relations. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said the move strengthens defence cooperation, noting that Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide conveyed the decision during a phone call on Friday. The Cypriot leader welcomed the step as an important signal of trust.
Oslo had maintained restrictions since 1959 under a policy that limited arms sales to states facing war risks or internal tensions. Norwegian officials now view Cyprus as a reliable partner and a stabilizing force in the Eastern Mediterranean, prompting the policy change.
The decision also aligns with recent steps by the United States. Washington imposed arms sales restrictions on the Greek Cypriot administration in 1987 but eased them in 2020 and fully lifted them in 2021. The U.S. has renewed the measure annually since then, most recently for the period from October 2025 to September 2026. Cyprus continues to lobby Washington to extend the review cycle to five years and eventually remove the annual assessment entirely.
The shift in Western policy coincides with Cyprus’ accelerated defence modernization program. Nicosia has raised its defence budget and replaced ageing Soviet-era systems with NATO and EU-standard equipment. Recent acquisitions include the Tamnava multiple rocket launcher system, the BARAK MX air defence system, Sherpa armored vehicles equipped with Akeron MP missiles, and Airbus H145M helicopters. Negotiations for additional capabilities remain ongoing.
These developments carry strategic implications for the Eastern Mediterranean. The modernization of the Cyprus National Guard is raising security concerns in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and in Türkiye, which serves as its guarantor. Analysts warn that the widening military imbalance may weaken already fragile trust at the negotiation table. How this process will shape long-standing tensions on the island remains uncertain.
