Cypriot president pledges 2% of GDP on defense spending

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The president of Cyprus says he 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. Nikos Christodoulides told reporters after a visit to a Special Forces training camp Friday that he aims to put Cyprus, along with other countries including Greece and France, “at the core” of a recent EU push to bolster its deterrent capabilities and defense infrastructure. Christodoulides said that as a former foreign minister, he understands that the country’s voice on the international diplomacy stage is limited without a strong defense.