While Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides was speaking yesterday at the European Council about the crisis in the Middle East, he received a message on his mobile phone about an alert at the British Bases in Akrotiri, giving him the opportunity to explain to the 26 EU leaders how directly the regional escalation in the Middle East affects Cyprus.

The agreement between the UK and Cyprus on the function of the British military bases on the Mediterranean island after Brexit, announced by Prime Minister May this week, has put to rest a potential headache for London in its pursue of a full Withdrawal Agreement with the EU.