President Joe Biden issued a directive Wednesday that allows Cyprus to buy arms from the U.S. government and get surplus American military equipment in a move welcomed as promoting stability in the eastern Mediterranean.
From Cyprus’ perspective, the development is a key step after the United States in 2020 lifted a decades-long arms embargo on the island nation. The government in Nicosia also see it as an acknowledgment of Cyprus' reliability as a U.S. partner in the region.
