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In a recent speech Turkish President Erdogan praised Syrians who were born and raised in Turkey, speak Turkish, and are now in Syria, saying, "Right next door to us… a brother nation that speaks our same language is rising anew from the ashes.” The quote has drawn the attention of experts like Ryan Gingeras, who joins Thanos Davelis as we look into what it tells us about Erdogan’s worldview,...

15 λεπτά

The Trump administration’s NSS - and its scathing critique of Europe - has drawn a lot of attention over the past days. Yet, this is only part of the big picture when we talk about the problems facing European leaders, which include everything from the war in Ukraine - where pressure is mounting - to a sluggish economy and the far right. Steven Erlanger, the chief diplomatic correspondent for...

14 λεπτά

The Economist just highlighted Greece as an example for countries looking to digitalize, recognizing the efforts Athens made between 2018 and 2024 to transform its public services and embrace the digital transformation. Diomidis Spinellis, a former Greek official now with the Athens University of Economics, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at this story.You can read the articles we...

11 λεπτά

This weekend we heard Hakan Fidan say he believes Ankara and Washington will find a way to remove CAATSA sanctions "very soon". His comments echo those of US Ambassador Tom Barrack, who was quoted saying that the “hurdle” blocking F-35 access for Turkey might be resolved within 4 to 6 months. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on...

14 λεπτά

The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy is causing a stir in Europe with its searing critique of America’s closest allies, including a warning that the continent is facing “civilizational decline”. Ian Lesser, the vice president and Brussels chief of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at what some are already calling...

11 λεπτά

Last week Cyprus and Lebanon signed a long-awaited maritime demarcation deal, an agreement that not only paves the way for potential exploration and energy cooperation, but also checks Turkey’s revisionist “Blue Homeland” doctrine in the Eastern Mediterranean. Constantinos Filis, the director of the Institute of Global Affairs and a professor of international relations at the American College...

11 λεπτά

Greek farmers are making headlines amid an escalating confrontation with the government, as thousands of tractors continue to block traffic on highways and at border crossings. What began as a dispute over delayed EU-backed subsidy payments linked to a corruption scandal is quickly turning into a political test for the government. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos...

13 λεπτά

What’s Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Turkey, up to? That’s a question that’s emerged after a recent interview he gave to Kathimerini, where he talked about Washington’s aspiration for a “new regional ordinance” and made head-scratching comments about Greek-Turkish relations and Cyprus. Henri Barkey and Endy Zemenides join Thanos Davelis as we look to tackle this question.Henri Barkey is an...

16 λεπτά

As countries around the world scramble to see who is going to win the AI race, Greece is also looking to secure its own AI future. Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ emphasis on AI, coupled by signature deals with OpenAI and Mistral AI, is putting a spotlight on Greece’s efforts to play a larger role on the AI frontier. Niko Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis as we...

15 λεπτά

With talks over a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war moving along, the latest peace proposals have caught the attention of many, including Cyprus, where Turkey’s 51 year illegal occupation serves as a stark reminder of what happens when revisionist powers are not checked. Harris Georgiades, the Chairman of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the Cypriot Parliament, a former Minister...

12 λεπτά

Two of America’s key Mediterranean partners, Greece and Israel, are deepening their defense and security ties, a trend that extends beyond arms sales to joint exercises. The move comes amid Turkish provocations and as US interests in the Mediterranean, particularly on energy security, are growing. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Ryan Brobst and Justin Leopold-Cohen join Thanos...

11 λεπτά

Halki Theological Seminary, shut by Turkey in 1971, is back in the headlines ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Turkey. Journalists are reporting that there is a sense of optimism that Turkey will reopen the school. This attention on Halki follows a renewed focus on Orthodox Christianity that includes the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visit to the White House, references to the Russian Orthodox Church...

16 λεπτά

Last week we got a look at the details of President Trump’s 28 point plan for an end to the war in Ukraine, with the President setting a Thursday deadline for Ukraine - where many see the proposed plan as a capitulation - to agree to it. US and Ukrainian officials met on Sunday in Geneva, with the White House hailing talks as constructive. Paul Stares, the director of the Center for Preventive...

12 λεπτά

The New York Times just ran a piece about a wave of new converts to Orthodox Christianity in the US, especially among young conservative men, the so-called “Orthobros”. The trend is largely driven by hard-line influencers on YouTube and other social media platforms, and has put parishes in uncharted territory. George Demacopoulos, the co-director of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at...

12 λεπτά

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...

12 λεπτά

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...

14 λεπτά

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...

15 λεπτά

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...

15 λεπτά

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...

16 λεπτά

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...

15 λεπτά