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The EU called on Russia on Monday to defuse tensions over Ukraine and reaffirmed that Moscow would face "massive" consequences if it attacked its neighbor. The EU's foreign ministers, who met in Brussels, said the bloc "condemns Russia's continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine and calls on Russia to de-escalate." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also joined the meeting via...

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Late last week a US appeals court put the federal government's prosecution of Turkish state-owned lender Halkbank on hold while the bank appeals to the US Supreme Court. This decision means Halkbank can appeal without having to defend itself in a Manhattan federal court for its alleged role in helping Iran evade US sanctions. Halkank is accused of helping Iran secretly transfer $20 billion of...

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Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and his counterpart from North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovacevski, met on Tuesday in Skopje in an effort to improve relations and reach a breakthrough on the Bulgarian policy of blocking North Macedonia’s path to EU membership. Since 2020, Bulgaria has blocked the opening of EU membership negotiation talks with North Macedonia because of disputes over history...

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The first six advanced Rafale jets, purchased from France, arrived in Greece on Wednesday marking the first major delivery to result from multi-billion euro defense deals the Greek and French governments signed last year. Prime Minister Mitsotakis welcomed the new jets, saying that they will make the Greek air force one of the strongest in Europe and the Mediterranean. Greece has earmarked...

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The US decision to shift its focus from the EastMed gas pipeline to regional electricity interconnectors is an opportunity for Greece. That’s what energy expert Nikos Tsafos argued in his latest op-ed in Kathimerini - “Beyond the EastMed Pipeline”. Nikos Tsafos joins The Greek Current to talk about this piece, in which he explores the impact the proposed pipeline has had on the region despite...

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The EastMed gas pipeline has been dominating the news cycle over the last weeks. This attention follows a non-paper declaring Washington’s skepticism about the project and a recent online video published by Turkey’s TRT World which inaccurately portrayed US policy as favoring EastMed gas going to Turkey. As a result, the State Department issued in depth statements clarifying its positions on...

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Increased US-Greek cooperation at the port of Alexandroupoli has highlighted its geostrategic significance for the transatlantic alliance, becoming a key element in shaping the bilateral relationship. As the port sees increased activity, many locals believe that increasing operations at the port and railroad will eventually benefit the rest of Evros as well, bringing new businesses and...

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In 2021 we saw Turkey slowly work to reduce tensions with a number of its regional rivals, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. While Turkey seems eager to move from active confrontation toward greater stability, its rivals have not all embraced rapprochement with the same zeal as Ankara. The question now remains how far regional dynamics will shift given that many...

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EU auditors released a report on Monday that pointed out how the EU has been unsuccessful in its efforts to promote rule-of-law reforms in the Western Balkans. The bloc has spent about €700 million between 2014 and 2020 to help Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo make progress on reforms, and many EU governments see establishing high democratic standards...

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Klaus Regling, the Managing Director of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), recently gave an exclusive interview to Kathimerini where he discussed the economic prospects for Greece and Europe in 2022. Regling touched on the strength of the recovery of the Greek economy in 2021 and the road ahead, citing the importance of Greece’s Recovery and Resilience Plan as a tool to place Greece on a...

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Following reports of US reservations over the feasibility of the EastMed gas pipeline project, a State Department spokesman affirmed Washington’s commitment to the 3+1 regional alliance with Greece, Cyprus and Israel and emphasized that Europe’s energy independence is a key national security issue. Endy Zemenides, HALC’s executive director, joins The Greek Current to discuss this latest...

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This week has seen tensions escalate between Turkey and Greece as leading politicians and officials in Ankara have made provocative statements and issued warnings directed at Greece. Athens has issued a stern response, while Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias called on Turkey to prove its commitment to international law through actions, starting with withdrawing its threat of war against Greece....

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The Russian Orthodox Church said this week that it was considering establishing an exarchate in Turkey, as it has just done in Africa, further deepening the schism between the Moscow and the Ecumenical Patriarchate that opened up following the decision by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to grant the Ukrainian Orthodox Church autocephaly, essentially making it independent of Russia. Professor...

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The Turkish government has been inviting reporters to document migrant raids and border security construction at the Turkish-Iranian border, which has become a main point of entry for Afghans fleeing the Taliban. It’s an effort Turkey is eager to put on display for Western journalists and observers in an effort to show the EU that it is dealing with the migrant issue for the whole bloc. Many...

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Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid recently gave an exclusive interview to Kathimerini, where he made it clear that relations between Greece and Israel will continue to develop and bloom “regardless of any other developments in the region.” Aside from the focus on Israel’s “values-based strategic alliance” with Greece, Foreign Minister Lapid also commented on the prospects of a rapprochement...

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20 years ago Greece’s then Prime Minister Kostas Simitis made the first withdrawal of a euro banknote from a Greek bank, marking the official adoption of the euro and the switch away from the drachma. Over the last 20 years, the euro has overcome initial doubts, price concerns, and a debt crisis to spread across the European continent. George Pagoulatos joins The Greek Current to look back over...

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A Libyan parliamentary committee said Wednesday that it has become “impossible” to hold the long-awaited presidential election scheduled for December 24th, a major blow to international efforts to end a decade of chaos in the country. The run-up to elections has been marred by disputes over the eligibility of candidates and growing security fears, and earlier this week the UN warned of growing...

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On Monday we looked at the defense angle - specifically the clause opening the way for Greece to acquire F-35s - of the US-Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act, which the Senate passed in the NDAA last week. Aside from bolstering the defense cooperation between the US and Greece, this bill, which is a follow up to the landmark Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy...

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Last week the US Senate voted on and passed the NDAA, which included the U.S.-Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act, which was introduced by Senators Bob Menendez and Marco Rubio. The bill upgrades the defense cooperation between the US and Greece, and also includes language that would open the door for Greece to acquire F-35 fighter jets. This has revived talk in Athens about...

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EU leaders held their last summit of 2021 amid heightened concerns about the spread of the omicron variant, which saw some members - including Greece and Italy - impose unilateral travel restrictions intended to control the spread of the new variant. This raised important questions about freedom of movement for European citizens. Meanwhile, Russia’s military buildup at the Ukrainian border also...

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