'Turkish gas' or 'Greek gas'? The Role of Cypriot Energy in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Turkish-Greek Conflict

In recent years, energy resources have become one of the most significant political assets a country can possess. It is accepted that international relations, including international conflicts, are driven by political, economic, geostrategic, and energy ambitions. Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterranean region, is influenced by tensions over the Turkish-Greek conflict and energy discoveries. More than a decade ago, the first offshore gas field, Aphrodite, was discovered offshore Cyprus, but its exploitation has been delayed despite its abundant gas export potential. Since 2018, plenty of major energy discoveries have underlined the island's extraordinary potential and its international role. The energy discoveries around Cyprus, and their subsequent exploitation, have faced persistent political obstacles, driven by the Turkish-Greek conflict over the country's division. The clash of Turkish-Greek differences is not new, as the Cyprus settlement issue has been pending since 1974, and its complexity makes it a geopolitically important conflict. The paper examines the geopolitical implications of Cypriot offshore natural gas exploration, focusing on how the Turkish-Greek conflict has shaped Cyprus’s domestic and foreign energy policies. Using secondary sources, the research analyzes the legal, infrastructural, and diplomatic challenges surrounding the Aphrodite gas field and the broader Eastern Mediterranean energy landscapes. The findings reveal that unresolved territorial disputes and competing regional ambitions, particularly between Turkey and Greece, continue to hinder the development of a unified energy strategy. Cyprus’s export prospects remain uncertain due to infrastructural constraints and persistent political fragmentation. The study recommends that future energy agreements prioritize inclusive dialogue between Turkish and Greek Cypriot authorities, supported by EU mediation, and investment in shared infrastructure to reduce dependency and foster regional cooperation. These steps are essential for transforming energy competition into collaboration and for stabilizing one of the EU’s most strategically sensitive frontiers.