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Top lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party have now met with Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, on a few occasions, generating some buzz around the potential for a deal that could bring the decades-long conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurds to an end. This is taking place amid seismic geopolitical shifts in the region, especially in Syria....

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President Trump promised to shake up how Washington does business, and he has wasted no time since his inauguration. From executive orders to a call with Denmark’s leader over Greenland, Trump seems to be making good on his pledge to disrupt American domestic and foreign policy. What will this mean for the US and its allies, particularly in Europe? Expert James Lindsay joins Thanos Davelis to...

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As President Trump assumed office repeating his campaign slogan of “drill, baby, drill”, Greece announced that US energy giant Chevron is interested in exploring for oil and gas in Greek waters. The move comes as President Trump has also called on Europe to buy more US energy. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest development on the energy front, its timing and the...

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Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias just became the first member of Greece’s government to visit the US since President Trump’s inauguration with a trip that took him beyond the Beltway to cities like Chicago. Beyond engaging with the diaspora, Dendias’ trip put Greece in the spotlight for a wider American audience. Endy Zemenides, HALC’s Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to break down...

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Recent findings from the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Global 100 study reveal that while global antisemitism has surged across the world over the last decade, Greece is bucking this trend. In fact, it recorded the largest decrease in antisemitic attitudes globally, with a 19-point drop. Aykan Erdemir, the Senior Director for Global Research and Diplomatic Affairs at the ADL, joins Thanos...

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Opening its doors in 2022, the Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas, and Port Security, otherwise known as CYCLOPS, is now not only on the front line of US and European security, but is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to relations between Washington and Nicosia. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise...

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As President Trump outlined his “America first” foreign policy vision in his inaugural address, other key players on the foreign policy chess board in Washington are also moving into place, from Secretary of State Marco Rubio taking over the State Department to new leaders in Congress. Laura Kelly, the foreign policy reporter for The Hill, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the view from...

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Prime Minister Mitsotakis announced his pick for President of Greece last week, selecting New Democracy veteran Kostas Tasoulas. The decision is not only indicative of the direction Mitsotakis is looking to move in 2025, but it also sets the stage for a new political battleground between New Democracy and PASOK. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis...

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Since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, many have repeated the analysis that Turkey is “the winner” in Syria. Is this the case, however? Has Turkey really won anything yet? Developments on the ground indicate that this may not be the case. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to break...

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In a move heralded as historic, President Joe Biden issued a presidential determination this week officially including Cyprus in three critical US defense programs. Cyprus hailed the decision allowing military sales, including arms, to the island as a milestone affirming the country’s role as a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. Lena Argiri, the DC correspondent for ERT - the...

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As we approach inauguration day, one of President-elect Donald Trump’s closest allies, Elon Musk, has been using his social media platform X to openly support political parties like the far-right AfD in Germany ahead of the country’s election, or has called for an end to Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government in the UK. His posts are raising questions among key US allies, with many asking whether...

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Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ visit to Saudi Arabia this week has put a spotlight on Greece’s strategy in the Middle East, coming about a week after a trilateral summit in Cairo with Egypt’s President Sisi and Cyprus’ President Christodoulides, and a month after a visit to Lebanon. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece’s engagement...

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All eyes are on Prime Minister Mitsotakis as Greeks wait to hear who he plans to nominate as Greece’s next president. While the position is a largely ceremonial one, who is selected will send a message across the political spectrum, and will likely set the tone for the remainder of Mitsotakis’ term as he will have to decide whether to appease his party’s base or pick a candidate with a broader...

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As we approach the 51st dark anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus this year, there is a renewed push to locate and identify the remains of 951 missing Greek and Turkish Cypriots. To this day, the search continues for those lost during periods of inter-communal violence or - the large part - during Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of...

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Lebanon has brought an end to a two year power vacuum with the election of Joseph Aoun, the country's army chief, as president. His candidacy was backed by several key players, including the US, France and Saudi Arabia. Together with the collapse of Assad in Syria and a weakened Hezbollah, there are many who hope this election could serve as the necessary spark to rebuild the war-torn Eastern...

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While the world is waiting for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration this month, Turkey’s President Erdogan is saber rattling, making it clear that he intends to target the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who have been critical in the fight against ISIS. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on Turkish politics, joins...

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As we approach President-elect Trump’s inauguration, many are trying to discern how both the incoming Trump administration and the new Congress that was just sworn in will deal with key foreign policy questions that will undoubtedly impact Greece and Cyprus. Endy Zemenides, HALC’s Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what to expect from the new Congress on the East Med, what...

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2024 was a tumultuous year, with elections in the US and Europe setting the stage for major changes, and ushering in a new era of uncertainty - especially in Europe. Amid these developments, Greece saw a new opposition emerge in PASOK and its economy once again was on The Economist’s list of top performers of 2024. Niko Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to...

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The death of former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis at the age of 88 has put a spotlight on his tenure (1996-2004), with many highlighting his role in shaping today’s Greece. Key highlights include bringing Greece into the Eurozone, playing a key role in Cyprus’s quest for EU membership, establishing a framework for dialogue with Turkey, and securing the 2004 Athens Olympics. John...

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Cyprus is once again making headline news as Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides becomes the first leader in the region to appoint a special representative - Ambassador Thessalia Salina Shambos - for religious freedoms and the protection of minorities in the Middle East. The move, welcomed in Washington, comes as new concerns about religious and ethnic minorities are emerging in the wake of...

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