The Greek Current

President Erdogan’s recent “U-turn” on Sweden’s accession to NATO has led to a number of observers wondering whether Turkey may be pivoting away from Russia and returning to the West, with some asking how long Erdogan’s special relationship with Putin can last. Amberin Zaman, a senior correspondent reporting from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe exclusively for Al-Monitor, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why none of Erdogan’s latest moves amount to a pivot away from Russia any more than they signal a real reset with the West. Instead, this is simply Erdogan navigating Ankara’s relationships in ways that he believes best benefit Turkey’s interests and above all his own political survival.Read Amberin Zaman’s latest piece in Al Monitor here: Erdogan’s NATO moves agitate Russia but don’t spell Turkey's sharp shift to WestYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Russia’s war might have a new casualty: The Putin-Erdogan bondTurkey’s Double Dealing in the Ukraine WarTourism enjoys total recoveryBold agenda for Greek-Turkish relations

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that a deal had been reached with Turkey’s President Erdogan in order to lift his veto on Sweden’s NATO accession. While the announcement was followed by celebrations, Sweden still needs Turkey’s parliament to approve its membership - which could take months. It looks like Turkey also now anticipates the lifting of most defense-related sanctions, and expects Europe to move on its EU accession process. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former Pentagon official, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the details of this deal, and break down why Erdogan walking away from this high-stakes poker game with new concessions is problematic.Read Michael Rubin’s latest here:The Turkey-NATO Deal On Sweden Is A DisasterSweden SurrendersThe Turkey-Iran terror nexus in occupied Cyprus shakes the status quoYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Security Council Press Statement on CyprusNicosia welcomes UN security council support for new envoyPM raises ethnic Greek mayor’s arrest with Rama‘For us, freedom is not self-evident’

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Erdogan agreed to resume talks and confidence-building measures as they hailed a new “positive climate” following their meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius. Despite the latest announcements and the recent shift in tone from Ankara, fundamental differences remain. Professor Kostas Ifantis joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the main takeaways from the Mitsotakis-Erdogan meeting as the two leaders agreed to repair ties while maintaining “calm waters” in the Aegean, explore what this effort could look like in the coming months, and break down the role Washington should play in this reset attempt.Kostas Ifantis is a Professor of International Relations at the Department of International, European and Area Studies at Panteion University of Athens, and has previously served as Director for Research at the Policy Planning Center of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Summit agreement for restart with TurkeyMitsotakis, Erdogan hail ‘positive climate’ in Greece-Turkey tiesRestart attempt with Turkey via USAchtsioglou announces candidacy for SYRIZA leadershipFormer SYRIZA finance minister set to announce leadership bidErdogan’s government to discuss Sweden’s NATO ratification with nationalist ally, official says

Greece is currently bracing for its first major and prolonged heatwave of the summer, with temperatures over the next few days expected to reach and exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The country’s health, labor and citizens’ protection ministries issued emergency warnings on Monday to citizens, while the City of Athens is also taking action to deal with the phenomenon. Elissavet Bargianni, the Head of the Resilience and Sustainability Department of the City of Athens and its Chief Heat Officer, joins Thanos Davelis to explore the dangers rising temperatures and climate change pose for cities like Athens, break down how the city is building resilience and finding solutions to make sure it can meet these challenges in the decades to come, and look at the steps Athens is taking ahead of this new heatwave.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:City of Athens climate action planGreece bracing for impact of heatwave KleonGuidelines for beating the heatItaly heatwave could push temperatures close to European recordUS to move ahead with transfer of F-16 jets to TurkeyRestart attempt with Turkey via US

On the eve of the NATO summit in Vilnius it appears that Turkish President Erdogan is once again moving the goalposts when it comes to Sweden’s NATO membership bid, attempting to put progress on Turkey’s EU membership on the table as well. At the same time, President Biden and Erdogan also discussed the potential sale of US F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, and with Ankara introducing new demands at the 11th hour, the link between Sweden’s NATO accession and the issue of F-16s is under the spotlight as well. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to look ahead at what is likely to be a dramatic NATO summit.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Sweden still not ready for NATO, Erdoğan tells BidenUS could agree to sell Turkey F-16 jets so it will allow Sweden to join NatoUS, Turkey edge closer to deal on Sweden’s NATO membership; bargaining over F-16sAs NATO Gathers, Unity Among the Alliance Has Become Harder to SustainMitsotakis, Erdogan hoping for a resetErdogan’s difficult equation in NATOTemperatures set to climbItaly heatwave could push temperatures close to European record

With the NATO Summit at Vilnius around the corner, everyone’s attention is on Turkey and whether it will lift its veto over Sweden’s NATO membership bid. This is also putting the focus on Turkey’s request to purchase F-16 jets from the US. Endy Zemenides, HALC’s Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how NATO allies have given Turkey too much leverage when it comes to Sweden’s membership bid and look at the latest developments on the proposed sale of F-16s to Turkey. We also look at how Greece’s elections have led to a shakeup in Greece’s representation in the US and what this means for US-Greece relations, while assessing if there is any new momentum on the Cyprus issue.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:NATO’s Welcome Party for Sweden Is Back on IceSwedish NATO membership: No deal with Turkey, leaders meet next weekGreece pledges more high defense spending, seeks F-35 fleetNATO allies to spend ‘at least 2%’ of GDP on defense, diplomats sayFDI in Greece at record levels

This week Prime Minister Mitsotakis presented his new government’s vision for Greece over the next few years, pledging to step up the pace of reforms in order to take Greece to the next level. Some of the key steps he outlined include debt reduction, bringing incomes for Greeks significantly closer to European levels, promising to crack down on tax evasion and to reform the country's health sector, and committing to legalize same-sex marriage. At the same time, Mitsotakis has stated that he is looking to build a new consensus in the center ground of Greek politics. Nikos Efstathiou, a journalist and author in Greece and the deputy editor in chief at the weekly magazine LiFO, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ ambitious agenda as his second term kicks off. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:PM vows to take Greece to next levelGreece's re-elected PM outlines government goals up to 2027Mitsotakis Steps Up Reforms to Send Greek Crisis to HistorySame-Sex Marriage Is Part of Reelected Greek PM’s LGBTQ Plan‘Strategic’ relations highlighted at US Independence Day eventGreece welcomes deescalation in the eastern Mediterranean without directly referring to Turkey

It looks like Turkey is trying to pack as much as it can into the agenda of the crucial NATO Summit in Vilnius later this month. Aside from Turkey’s veto over Sweden’s NATO membership, Ankara has also put a freeze on NATO’s new operational maps by raising questions about the naming of the Dardanelles and the Bosporus straits in the new operational maps, and taking issue with the reference of the Republic of Cyprus in the plans as well. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why Ankara has derailed NATO regional procedures, and look at why this matters.Read the latest by Vassilis Nedos on this issue:Ankara derails NATO regional proceduresUS proposal to break NATO map deadlockWait-and-see mood in Athens over TurkeyYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Turkish games in the StraitsMitsotakis Steps Up Reforms to Send Greek Crisis to HistoryTurkey says Quran burning in Sweden raises questions about its reliability as a possible NATO memberTurkey's Erdogan says Sweden's NATO steps undermined by protests

We’re well into the summer, and the tourist season is in full swing in Greece. With more and more visitors looking to experience Greece every year, a discussion has kicked off about the future of tourism in Greece and the need for sustainability in the industry. Expert Daniel Levine, who contributed to this discussion at Kathimerini’s recent “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” conference, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the latest global trends in tourism and break down the challenges ahead for Greece as it looks to adapt and strengthen its brand as a top tourist destination. Daniel Levine one of the world’s best-known trends experts, and is the director of the Avant-Guide Institute, a New York-based trends consultancy where he is the leader of a huge team of trendspotters who track the latest ideas and experiences from around the globe. As a consultant, Daniel works with many of the top names in travel including American Express, UNWTO, South African Tourism, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Virtuoso Network and many more.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Are Greeks happy with tourism?Tourism is in need of shiftsRestart seen in talks between Greece, TurkeyGreece’s new parliament sworn in following conservative party’s election victory

HALC's Erini Kosmas and HALC Managing Director Georgia Logothetis break down the week's developments on migration, the economy, Turkey, and more.