The Greek Current

Recent reports have sounded the alarm about the possibility that after its attack on Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan could soon invade Armenia proper, with Politico reporting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned a small group of lawmakers about this possibility. These concerns come as Azerbaijiani President Ilham Aliyev calls on Armenia to open a “corridor” along its southern border, linking mainland Azerbaijan to an exclave that borders Turkey and Iran. Aliyev has even threatened to solve the issue “by force.” Expert Simon Maghakyan joins Thanos Davelis to discuss these reports and the possibility that Azerbaijan may attack Armenia in the aftermath of its assault on Nagorno Karabakh and the displacement of 120,000 Armenians from the region.Simon Maghakyan is a visiting scholar at Tufts University and a Ph.D. student in Heritage Crime at Cranfield University. He writes and speaks on post-Soviet memory politics and cultural erasure, and facilitates global conversations on protecting Armenian heritage.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Blinken warned lawmakers Azerbaijan may invade Armenia in coming weeksAfter Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan eyes a strategic strip of ArmeniaSouda naval base capacity to expandS&P upgrades Greece to investment grade for first time since 2010 crisis

The Hamas attack against Israel has upended the Middle East, and Egypt and its President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, like many others in the region, have been feeling the pressure. Given his unpopularity amid an economic crisis and broad pro-Palestinian sentiment among the Egyptian public, Egypt’s president is likely to be careful in how he manages the conflict in Gaza. At the same time, Sisi has invited world leaders, including Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to Cairo this weekend for talks on the Palestinian issue. Dr. Nervana Mahmoud joins Thanos Davelis to discuss how the war in Gaza is impacting Egypt and President Sisi, look at the upcoming summit in Cairo, and explore how the Hamas attack has hijacked key initiatives for peace across the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.Dr. Nervana Mahmoud is a regional observer and independent commentator who writes mainly about Egypt, liberal Islam, women rights, radicalism, and wider issues about the Middle East. Her work has been featured in major outlets and publications. She also publishes a regular newsletter on Egypt.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:US says Egypt agrees to reopen Gaza border to aid as protests rock Middle EastWill Egypt Play a Role in Easing the Gaza War?Egypt Looking to Host International Meeting on Palestine IssueAthens closely monitoring Middle EastFearing Rise of Radical Islamists, Greece Boosts Migrant Camp Security, SurveillanceEU Action Plan for Eastern Mediterranean migrationMinister highlights success in reducing migration from occupied areas

European leaders met this week in Tirana with their counterparts from the Western Balkans amid efforts to reinvigorate the enlargement process and bring the region into the European Union. This has put the spotlight on Albania, which is keen to move its accession bid forward. Greece, however, has made it clear that this progress could be in jeopardy over the continued imprisonment of Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of Himare. The sizable Greek minority in Albania has also denounced the trial as political, and for many it puts broader existential issues that Albania’s Greek minority is up against under the spotlight. John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera’s Southeast Europe correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how this case is impacting Greece’s ties with Albania, Tirana’s ambitions to join the EU, and the Greek minority in Albania.Read John Psaropoulos’ latest here: Greeks denounce Albanian trial of mayor-elect as politicalYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Beleri trial postponed again for October 24European Union offers a new growth plan to Western Balkans that partly opens access to single marketMitsotakis stresses need to prevent conflict escalationFury grows in Turkey against Israel, fresh protests stagedPro-Gaza protests in Turkey target Israeli Consulate, McDonald's

In the wake of the Hamas attack against Israel, both Cyprus and Greece quickly condemned Hamas, expressed their solidarity with Israel, and their willingness to contribute toward efforts that could lead to a deescalation. Cyprus has once again become a safe haven for people heading to and leaving Israel, while Greece, as the only EU and NATO member in the region with good relations with both Israel and Arab countries, stands at the ready as well. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to explore the role Greece and Cyprus can play in the wake of the upheavals we’ve seen in the region, and provide a look ahead as Greek-American advocates prepare to head to Washington, DC next week with their counterparts from the American Jewish Committee to advocate on the Hill together.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:First batch of US citizens leaving Israel arrive in Cyprus by boatThe US and Greek role in the Mideast crisisGreece deeply concerned, ready to assistGreece, Turkey, discuss ‘positive agenda’ during ministerial meetings in AthensDemographic decline is ‘existential bet for our future,’ says MitsotakisGreece's demographic challenge

Ahead of the second round of local elections everyone was expecting New Democracy to cement its political dominance across Greece. Instead, New Democracy candidates suffered surprise defeats in key regions and municipalities, including Athens and Thessaloniki. This has many wondering if we are seeing the first cracks in New Democracy’s grip over Greek politics. At the same time, this was a good night for the center left, and the question has been raised as to whether the two parties occupying that ideological space, PASOK and SYRIZA, need to find a way to cooperate. Yannis Palaiologos, a journalist at-large with Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to break down Sunday night’s results and look at what they mean for both the ruling New Democracy party and the center left. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece’s ruling conservatives suffer setbacks in regional, municipal electionsChange of guard in Athens, ThessalonikiPM links Albania’s EU accession hopes to Beleri caseEU leaders to hold a summit with Western Balkans nations to discuss joining the blocTwo thousand US citizens evacuating from Haifa to Limassol port

With the second round of local elections set to take place on Sunday, ruling New Democracy, which posted a sweeping victory in the first round last week, is looking to build on this momentum to cement its dominance over Greece’s political scene. At the same time, the main opposition SYRIZA seems to be caught in a popularity rut, while Stefanos Kasselakis, its newly elected leader, is facing unrest within the party. Expert Panos Koliastasis, an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Politics at the University of Peloponnese and the author of the book "Permanent campaigning in Greece in times of crisis: the Samaras, Tsipras and Mitsotakis premierships", joins Thanos Davelis to break down what these elections mean for Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his ruling party, SYRIZA, and Greece.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:A confirmation of political dominanceThe derby in ThessalonikiInternal resistance keeps Kasselakis on his toes, while ND focuses on local voteCyprus becomes safe haven for people heading to, leaving IsraelMitsotakis says unified European stance on Mideast crisis necessaryBracing for pitfalls of Mideast turmoil

Turkey’s President Erdogan appears to be shifting away from his initial moderate tone following the shocking Hamas terror attack this past weekend. Instead, he slammed Israel and the US this week over their response to this terrorist attack. At the same time, Erdogan vowed on Wednesday to escalate Ankara’s ongoing military campaign against the Kurds in northeast Syria even as Syrian Kurds accuse Turkey of war crimes. Amberin Zaman, the chief correspondent of Al Monitor, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Erdogan’s latest escalation of rhetoric against Israel and the US, look into his threats to step up Ankara’s military campaign against the Kurds in northeast Syria, and break down whether Syria’s Kurds are slipping further down Washington’s list of priorities following the Hamas attack.Read Amberin Zaman’s latest here: Syrian Kurds accuse Turkey of war crimes as Erdogan vows escalationTurkey's Erdogan strikes moderate stance as Israel-Hamas war ragesYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to the Situation in and in Relation to SyriaGaza war tests fragile Israel-Turkey rapprochement as Erdogan ups rhetoricWhy Israel-Hamas is Erdoğan’s new ‘mission impossible’EU Commission’s Schinas stresses ‘respect for democracy’ for West Balkans’ accessionGreeks denounce Albanian trial of mayor-elect as politicalND aiming for complete dominance

Greece’s prime minister was just in Varna this week for a trilateral meeting with his Bulgarian and Romanian counterparts. Aside from the expected discussion around expanding their energy cooperation to further decouple the region from Russian energy sources, the three leaders also looked into a proposal by Greece that would see Ukrainian grain shipped across the three countries and exported through Greek ports of Thessaloniki and Alexandroupoli. Revecca Pedi, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this Greek proposal that could help bring Ukrainian grain to market, break down what it could mean for northern Greece, and look more broadly at Greece’s increasingly important role in the region.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Ukraine grain discussed in Varna summitGreece, Bulgaria, Romania sign letter of intent to extend NATO pipelines networkGreece quadrupled natural gas exports to the north, says PMTo ελληνικό σχέδιο για τα ουκρανικά σιτηράPyla buffer zone free of military presenceGreek foreign ministry welcomes UN-brokered consensus on Pyla buffer zoneTurkey's Erdogan calls Israeli response to Hamas in Gaza a 'massacre'After US, Erdogan takes aim at Israel

The foreign ministers of Greece and Cyprus were just in Oman, where EU ministers met with their Gulf counterparts. Needless to say, the planned agenda got thrown out the window with the Hammas terrorist attack against Israel taking center stage. Following meetings in Oman, Greece’s Foreign Minister said he had been in talks with his counterparts from the Gulf and other Arab countries, and announced a plan aimed at de-escalating tensions, indicating that Greece stands ready to play its part. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what this Hamas terrorist attack could mean for the region, and discuss the role that Greece - which has strong ties with Israel and Arab countries - can play in its aftermath.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece deeply concerned, ready to assistMitsotakis: Terrorism cannot go unansweredAgreements on energy frozen by warThe US will send a carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of IsraelCyprus says ready to assist Israel evacuations, if neededUkraine grain discussed in Varna summit

This weekend Hamas - designated as a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union, the UK, as well as other powers - launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, with its fighters entering communities near the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of residents and taking dozens of hostages. While the attack has spawned fears of a wider Middle East war, it is also putting the spotlight on not only Iran’s sponsoring of Hamas, but also on Turkey, which has become a sponsor of Hamas in recent years and a major hub of Hamas operations. Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to explore this connection between Turkey and Hamas.Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDD’s Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an Associate Professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Thread on Secretary Blinken’s post on X (formerly Twitter)Israel Intercepts Rocket-Making Material En Route to Gaza From TurkeyIsrael's envoy to Turkey says too early to talk mediation, calls for end of Hamas presenceAn app shows how ancient Greek sites looked thousands of years ago. It’s a glimpse of future techLocal elections confirm ND’s dominance