The Greek Current

This week Italy’s defense minister accused Russia of waging a hybrid war on the continent, while Poland's Donald Tusk said that Russia was behind an explosion on Saturday on a railway line used to transport weapons to Ukraine. This is pushing Europe to take additional steps to beef up its defense amid wider concerns that Russia could take these hybrid attacks a step further. Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and expert on Europe, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into Russia’s hybrid attacks on Europe, asking the question whether Russia could escalate. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:EU Proposes Multibillion-Euro Plan to Boost Military Mobility, Defense Tech Amid Russia TensionsHow the EU plans to get troops and weapons across the continent to deter Russia‘We are under attack’: Italian defense minister accuses Russia of waging hybrid warPoland plans to charge 2 Ukrainians with sabotage of terrorist nature for railway explosionChina lashes out against US’s Greece ambassador Kimberly GuilfoylePresident Christodoulides to meet with newly elected Turkish-Cypriot leader

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington this week, with the foreign minister stressing how the relationship with the US is “a compass” in Cyprus’ foreign policy. Evangelos Savva, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the United States, joins Thanos Davelis as we break down the significance of this meeting, and look at the message it sends about ever-deepening US-Cyprus ties. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:US and Cyprus reaffirm deepening tiesUS-backed Elefsina port plan advancesAthens and Kyiv seal naval drone deal

The Wall Street Journal ran a story earlier this month highlighting how the problem economies in Europe are no longer in the south, but in the north, with France and Germany dealing with budget deficits and debt while the former crisis hot spots like Greece look financially healthier. Mij Rahman, managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at this story.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Europe’s Role Reversal: The Problem Economies Are Now Farther NorthKombos highlights Cyprus’ growing value to the U.S.PM says government will allocate over 2 billion euros to support incomes

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was just in Athens on Sunday, signing an agreement with Greece for gas imports ahead of what’s expected to be a tough winter. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis as we look at this agreement, which comes days after Greece signed landmark energy deals with the US, and which puts Greece’s role in supporting both Ukraine and Europe’s effort to break its dependence on Russian gas in the spotlight.John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist and Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe. He publishes Hellenica, a weekly deep dive into Greek current affairs and history. You can find it on Substack.com.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Ukraine secures winter gas support from GreeceCyprus urges Turkey to drop two-state demand to advance EU bidAthens tightens security as events peak for Polytechnic uprising anniversaryPresident marks 52 years since Polytechnic uprising

Last week’s deal between ExxonMobil, Energean and Helleniq Energy for exploration and drilling in the Ionian Sea generated a lot of buzz both in Greece and - as we saw at P-TEC in Athens - among US officials. This move comes as another US energy giant, Chevron, is also engaging with Greece and Cyprus. Energy expert Dr. Theodoros Tsakiris joins Thanos Davelis to break down why these deals could be game-changing for Greece. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Exxon enters Greece with gas deal that expands US footprint in eastern MedGreece names Chevron, Helleniq Energy consortium as preferred bidder for offshore gas searchFresh push for Greece-Cyprus cableNew US ambassador says Greece key to countering Russian and Chinese influence

In a recent interview former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras - who was expelled from New Democracy a year ago - took a swing at the government, and many are asking not if, but when he will form a new party. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis as we explore what this could mean for Greece’s ruling party and Greek politics.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Samaras critical of Mitsotakis, closer to forming a new partyGreece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy eligible for new help dealing with migration, EU saysEurope should align with Donald Trump on Middle East strategy, Cyprus says 

In a move that no one could have seen coming a year ago, President Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa - formerly on Washington’s list of wanted terrorists - at the White House this week. Thanos Davelis is joined by Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and expert on the Middle East, as we look into al-Sharaa’s transformation and the message this meeting sends about US priorities in the region.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Syria’s President Meets Trump at White House for First TimeSyria to join US-led coalition to defeat IS group after Trump meetingPivotal U.S. Summit Could Help Mend a Fractured SyriaPower link’s European shieldTurkey demands more than 2,000 years in jail for popular Istanbul mayor

Energy is at the heart of the US-Greece relationship these days, especially with a landmark offshore gas exploration deal with ExxonMobil and a 20-year LNG agreement with the US. Thanos Davelis is joined by Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, as we look at how energy is driving US-Greece relations forward, and how it’s giving the 3+1 partnership of Greece, Cyprus, Israel and the US a new boost.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece deepens US energy ties with first gas exploration deal in 40 yearsGreece, US ink 20-year LNG contract‘Achilles’ Shield’ defense program moving forward againSyrian President Sharaa arrives at White House in historic firstSyria’s President Meets Trump at White House for First Time 

The election of Egypt’s Khaled El-Enany as the new Director General of UNESCO and the recent announcement from Prime Minister Mitsotakis that Greece and Egypt have worked to preserve the status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai have put cultural heritage in the spotlight. Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou, an expert on religious freedom issues and cultural heritage, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into these developments, the concerns around El-Enany’s election, and the broader use of cultural heritage as a geopolitical tool.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Khaled El-Enany elected Director-General of UNESCOEgypt's Enany set to lead UNESCO despite criticism of heritage record at homePM: Greece and Egypt have safeguarded spiritual character of Sinai MonasteryGreece, US ink 20-year LNG contractUAE envoy says aid to Gaza will be scaled up, Cyprus is key route

This week President Erdogan said Turkey had entered a ‘new juncture’ in the Kurdish peace process, signalling he was open to the idea of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan addressing lawmakers. In another startling move, he also suggested that he was open to the release of the jailed Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş. Lisel Hintz, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and an expert on Turkey, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what these steps could mean for the Kurdish peace process.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Erdoğan says Turkey has entered ‘new juncture’ in Kurdish peace processIonian Sea gas exploration deal a ‘vote of confidence’Greece deepens US energy ties with first gas exploration deal in 40 yearsAnkara dismisses Eurofighter use conditions