Cyprus will earmark 2% of gross domestic product to defense spending in line with other European Union member states as a means to strengthen the east Mediterranean island nation’s foreign policy bargaining power, the new Cypriot president said Friday.

Nikos Christodoulides told reporters after a visit to a special forces training camp that he aims to put Cyprus among other countries like Greece and France, "at the core" of a recent EU push to bolster the bloc's deterrent capabilities and defense infrastructure.

"I also served as foreign minister and I know that without a strong deterrent force, without a strong defense, your say in foreign policy matters is clearly limited," Christodoulides said.

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According to official figures, Cyprus’ GDP in 2022 was estimated at 27 billion euros. A 2% of GDP target would mark a slight increase in current expenditure on ethnically split Cyprus’ military. It’s also reflective of NATO members’ commitment to spend 2% of their GDP on defense spending, although Christodoulides has said he has no intention to apply for membership in the military alliance at this time.

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The president of Cyprus on Friday stated intent to set the nation's defense budget at 2% of its gross domestic product.

Cyprus was divided in 1974 when Turkey invaded following an Athens junta-backed coup aimed at union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island’s northern third where it maintains more than 35,000 troops.

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"As long as there’s occupation in our country, we are obligated to bolster our deterrent capabilities," said Christodoulides.

The president, who defeated a career diplomat in a Feb. 12 runoff to win the presidency, said his government would also strive to underscore Cyprus’ status as a member of the EU to upgrade defense cooperation with neighboring countries.

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He also hailed the September 2022 full lifting of a decades-old U.S. arms embargo on Cyprus as a significant decision that his government would "utilize." The decision renders Cyprus eligible for ""exports, re-exports and transfers of defense articles ... for the fiscal year 2023."