Daily Politics from the New Statesman Yanis Varoufakis: Greece has become Israel's "handmaiden"
Apr 6, 2026
Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek finance minister and economist known for the 2015 debt negotiations, discusses Greeceâs strategic shift toward Israel, European military complicity, and the risks of rising protoâfascism. He also covers geopolitical realignments, domestic prosecutions and culture wars, plus debates on violence, resistance and renewables.
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Reserve Violence Until All Peaceful Options Are Exhausted
- Varoufakis says violence is only justifiable after exhausting all nonviolent means to preserve basic human dignity.
- He cites witnessing tanks machine-gunning students in 1973 as shaping his threshold for when armed resistance might be warranted.
War With Israel Undermines Populist Isolationism
- Varoufakis argues Trump was co-opted by Netanyahu and pro-Israel hawks, turning a previously non-interventionist posture into escalation.
- He claims this shift undermines Trump's blue-collar base and risks ending his political project.
European Bases Make Countries Complicit In Warfare
- Varoufakis says European states are complicit when they allow US/Israeli use of bases like Akrotiri and Ramstein.
- He highlights Akrotiri as British sovereign territory being used for offensive strikes, making 'defensive' claims Orwellian doublespeak.