Nicosia: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to visit Cyprus on Tuesday as part of a regional tour, according to a statement from the presidency on Sunday.

The visit highlights the strong and ongoing relationship between Cyprus and the United Kingdom, with President Nikos Christodoulides's office describing it as a reaffirmation of the nations' excellent ties. During the visit, the leaders are expected to discuss their strategic partnership, Cyprus’s long-standing division, the state of British-EU relations, and other regional matters.

This marks the first visit by a British Prime Minister to Cyprus since Edward Heath in 1971, although former Prime Minister John Major visited the island in 1993 as part of a Commonwealth head of state summit.

Britain controlled Cyprus from 1878 to 1960, initially as a protectorate and later as a crown colony from 1925. The UK still maintains two large military bases on the island, which have been used for various operations, including actions against Houthi forces in Yemen in response to attacks on Red Sea shipping and against ISIS targets in Syria.