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This past week protests and politics took center stage in Greece, as farmers - like many of their European counterparts - descended on Athens with their tractors to demand that the government do more to improve their working and living conditions. As the protests were wrapping up, Greece’s main opposition party SYRIZA kicked off a convention that has now raised the prospects of a fresh...

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On February 18th the floating storage regasification unit in Alexandroupoli received its first test shipment of U.S. liquefied natural gas. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt described the successful opening of the Alexandroupolis FSRU as a ‘milestone” in “the longstanding transatlantic effort to diversify European energy routes and suppliers.” In other energy...

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As Western leaders gathered in Munich this weekend for the Munich Security Conference, warnings about Russian President Putin’s possible next moves were mixed with Europe’s growing concerns that it could soon be abandoned by the United States as aid to Ukraine is stalled in Congress and former President Trump casts doubts on America’s commitment to NATO. Max Bergmann, the director of the...

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Last week Turkey’s President Erdogan traveled to Egypt, where he met with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. While both leaders said they were turning a "new leaf" in their relations after over a decade of estrangement, differences remain, and it seems Cairo is still wary of Ankara. Expert Constantinos Filis, the Director of the Institute of Global Affairs and an associate professor...

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Greece’s Kathimerini newspaper just reported on the contents of the final draft of a letter from the State Department to Congress that implies that the F-16 and F-35 sales to Turkey and Greece come with conditions, refuting Ankara’s narrative that no such letter existed. This letter comes on the heels of a two week period in DC that put the spotlight on the US-Greece relationship, from the...

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On Thursday Greece finally approved a landmark marriage equality bill, becoming the first majority Orthodox Christian country to take such a step. This is a watershed moment for the country’s LGBTQ community, but, as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis put it, is also a milestone for human rights. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author who has reported extensively on this issue,...

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2024 will see billions of people head to the polls, with a number of key elections - including in the US - on the horizon. This comes as we’ve also seen illiberal values and politicians who embrace them gain ground across the board. The eyes of the world will justifiably be on the US presidential election in November, where it is increasingly looking like we are in for a repeat of the 2020...

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We just wrapped up the Southeastern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean conference here in Washington, DC, a forum Kathimerini English Edition, HALC, and the Delphi Economic Forum have organized now for 5 years running. During the conference we saw Greece, Greek-American relations, Cyprus, developments in the Balkans, and the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine take center stage. Tom Ellis, the...

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For many, Cyprus has largely been defined by the Turkish occupation. This view is changing, however, as Cyprus positions itself as a frontline state for Western interests and an increasingly relevant strategic partner for the United States. Evangelos Savva, the Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss how Cyprus has moved from being viewed solely as a problem...

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On Friday Greece and the US held their fifth Strategic Dialogue, which, among other things, also saw Greece become the 35th country to sign up to the US Artemis space cooperation accords. Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, joins Thanos Davelis on the sidelines of the 5th Southeast Europe and Eastern Mediterranean conference in Washington, DC, to discuss the key...

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A few weeks ago Turkey finally approved Sweden’s NATO bid. In return, Ankara got a green light from the Biden administration for F-16s, something that’s been on President Erdogan’s wishlist. Now, despite Erdogan’s antics over Sweden and his playing host to Iran and Russia’s leaders, it looks like the Biden administration is employing a new approach of positive reinforcement with Ankara. Expert...

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Greek and US officials will hold the 5th Strategic Dialogue in Washington, DC on Friday, and Foreign Minister Gerapetritis will also meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The agenda ranges from regional developments to the sale of F-35 jets and the possibility of co-producing Constellation-class frigates. As the Strategic Dialogue kicks off, another set of discussions is taking place in...

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Over the past years Greece has seen a sharp increase in home prices and rents, with many talking about a housing crisis as Greeks are being priced out of the property market. This has put the spotlight on the Golden Visa scheme. Yiannis Mouzakis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece’s...

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One year ago southeastern Turkey was devastated by a series of powerful earthquakes that killed tens of thousands and left even more without homes. It also ushered in a period of calm in the Aegean, as Greece was quick to assist its Turkish neighbors. A year later, the magnitude of this disaster continues to not only defy massive recovery efforts, but also impact Turkey’s relations with Greece....

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While no major news on the Parthenon Sculptures has emerged since British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s infamous snub of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in late last year, the incident reinvigorated the debate around the return of the Sculptures to their home in Athens. Nikos Efstathiou, who was just in London reporting on the issue for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the...

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Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his cabinet have been under pressure these past days, as farmers and students across the country have taken to the streets in protest. This comes as Mitsotakis also prepares to pass a key marriage equality bill this month, and as the latest polls show a slight drop in support for New Democracy and the government. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor...

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After a proposal by Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, Greece is set to serve as the headquarters of the EU naval operation in the Red Sea against Iranian-backed Houthi militants dubbed operation Aspides. At the same time, Greece has also proposed taking command of the mission. Revecca Pedi, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki,...

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On Thursday European leaders will look to overcome growing resistance to further aid for Ukraine, with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowing to defy EU pressure to approve a four-year €50 billion aid package to the war torn country. EU support is seen as crucial to Ukraine’s war effort. John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera's Southeast Europe...

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In a major escalation in the Middle East crisis, three US service members were killed and dozens more injured in a drone strike on the Syrian-Jordanian border by the Iranian-backed Islamic Resistance. This comes as attacks on US personnel in Iraq and Syria have surged since October, and as Washington has been debating a full withdrawal from Syria. Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent...

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In 2019 the Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria recognised the independence of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Since then, Moscow has attempted to undermine not only the Ecumenical Patriarchate, but also the Patriarch of Alexandria, which claims exclusive jurisdiction over Africa and accuses the Russian church of meddling in the continent. Prof. George...

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