Project Coordinator & Principal Researcher: Dr Revecca Pedi

Duration: March 2023 - March 2024

Overview

The aim of this project is to investigate the geopolitical implications of the EU sanctions on Russia for the Republic of Cyprus (ROC). We focus on the question of whether such a decision is an entrapment of the ROC within its EU shelter or constitutes a moment of emancipation, due to which Cyprus can break with its past and follow a Western orientation. This project is situated in the field of small state studies and draws on shelter-seeking theory and foreign policy analysis, mainly focusing on elites and public opinion perceptions. Against this background, we set three distinct yet interrelated objectives:

• Our first objective is to identify the geopolitical challenges, including threats and opportunities, that ROC faces or will face due to the sanctions and compare them to those that other small European states confront. Keeping in mind that small states within shelters benefit from small-state cooperation and coalition building in order to succeed in agenda setting, we will compare ROC’s situation with that of other small states within the EU and the region in order to identify potential grounds for cooperation or contention with other small states.
• Our second objective is to explore and compare the elites' and public’s perceptions of ROC’s interests, threats, and opportunities, as well as their views on the main actors in the international system and regionally.
• Our third objective is to build in our findings and formulate relevant policy proposals in order for Cyprus to decrease its vulnerability and safeguard its interests, security, and status. We aspire to contribute to public debate in Cyprus with regard to the implications of the war in Ukraine as well as to informed policy-making.

Project Outputs

- The Policy Brief is available here.

- The Research Paper of the project, which was published as part of the GreeSE working paper series, GreeSE Paper No.202, is available here.

Events

Dr Revecca Pedi presented the findings of the Project at the Research Seminar The Republic of Cyprus and the EU sanctions on Russia: navigating shelter seeking and political shocks on 1 October 2024.

Research Team

Project Coordinator and Principal Researcher: Revecca Pedi, Associate Professor, Department of International and European Studies, University of Macedonia 

 

Investigator-Coordinator of the P.O. Survey: Iannis Konstantinidis, Associate Professor, Department of International and European Studies, University of Macedonia