Patrick Kennedy, former Congressman and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, fondly recalls how the Greek American community affectionately Hellenized his name to “Kennedakis” in recognition of his efforts to include Greece in the U.S. visa waiver program. During his tenure in Congress, which ended with his retirement in 2011, Kennedy was a steadfast advocate for strong ties between the U.S., Greece, and Cyprus.
In a recent interview with To Vima commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Kennedy expressed his satisfaction with the progress made in bilateral relations between Washington and Nicosia. He praised the growing cooperation between the two countries, highlighting shared security interests and economic partnerships as key areas of development.
Kennedy also revealed his intentions for future advocacy, detailing what he plans to request from the Biden administration regarding Cyprus. As he said, “we’ve seen significant strides in our relationship, but there is more to be done.”
Kennedy remains a prominent figure in American politics with deep connections to the Greek American community. He is a partner at Healthsperien, a company chaired by prominent Greek American Tom Koutsoumpas, where he collaborates on multiple projects with Vasilis Koutsoumpas, a young Greek lawyer based in Washington, D.C.
Kennedy’s insights and continued involvement underscore the ongoing importance of Cyprus in the regional stability of the Eastern Mediterranean.
You have been vocal about connecting the invasion of Ukraine with the Cyprus issue. Do you believe the U.S. has a double standard when addressing these conflicts?
Well, there’s three things we need to do. We need to mark this 50th anniversary of the invasion of Cyprus. We need to connect Cyprus to the efforts that will take place after the war for rebuilding Gaza, and we need to unify the message around Cyprus and Ukraine as both examples of unchecked aggression and occupation.
We saw the Russians come in and occupy Ukraine. We saw the Turks come in and occupy Cyprus. And now we need to connect those dots so that while the world fights aggression of Putin, they also acknowledge that we already are fighting this war for 50 years to keep the Turks from assuming control of the free people of Cyprus.
I have been to Cyprus, I have walked the line, and I have seen the difference between free and Turkish-occupied Cyprus. It’s a study and contrast between two different worlds, one of democracy, and one of totalitarianism.
So, it’s somehow ironic that we remember the 50th anniversary at a time when the whole world is talking about Ukraine. That is why we must pledge to fight in every battle fought for freedom, whether it is in Ukraine or in Cyprus. We say that if we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. And unfortunately, we are seeing that history repeat itself in Ukraine. That’s why we have to stand up against Turkish aggression in Cyprus and not expect that just because it’s been this way for 50 years, that it’s something that we have to accept as normal.
Is the Turkish occupation of Cyprus a significant concern for the U.S. today? With the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion just passing, do you think the U.S. government should invite the President of Cyprus to the White House in 2024?
I intend to do whatever I can to communicate to the White House that need; to make sure that the Cypriot president is invited here in Washington for honoring this historic anniversary. I am going do what I can to communicate that need to the right people. I think it’s important for us to acknowledge this because it does represent a major turning point in the close relationship we have with Greece and Cyprus. That is why we need the president of Cyprus to come to the United States not only to mark the anniversary of the dark invasion, but also to emphasize the need to stop Russian aggression in Ukraine and of course to emphasize the strategic value of Cyprus.
You served in Congress until 2011. How have you seen the U.S.-Cyprus bilateral relationship evolve since your departure?
We have finally seen the arms embargo on Cyprus end, and we have seen a greater appreciation of the possibilities of cooperation with Cyprus. But here we are talking about something bigger. We are talking about building a special bilateral and multilateral relationship that can be linked to the war in Israel. Because Cyprus is perfectly positioned to help the international community rebuild the Middle East when the war is over. Cyprus is at the cornerstone of so many of the major debates today. And that’s the reason we need the president of Cyprus to come to the White House on this historic anniversary.
