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The G7 leaders just met in Canada where the focus quickly turned to geopolitics, primarily the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, which saw President Trump leave the summit early and return to Washington as conflict escalated between Israel and Iran. At the same time, trade remains a key concern among the G7 nations, as tariffs loom on the horizon. Matthew Goodman, the director of the...

11 λεπτά

Kathimerini just ran a piece highlighting the efforts of teachers and community schools in keeping Greek education alive in Turkey. These schools are central to the Greek community in Istanbul, a community that once had a significant presence but has dwindled to roughly 2,000 individuals over the last century as a result of government policies, persecution, and a pogrom in the 1950s. Dr. Ilay...

13 λεπτά

Since arriving in Ankara, US ambassador Tom Barrack has been thrown into the spotlight. Aside from his active role in Syria, reports indicate he is laying the groundwork for an Erdogan visit to Washington. If we take a closer look, however, the argument could also be made that he is seemingly promoting a number of Turkish positions across the board - from selling Turkey F-35s to presenting...

16 λεπτά

Last year Greece’s two biggest teams achieved big triumphs at the European level, with Panathinaikos winning the Euroleague in basketball, and Olympiakos winning the Conference League in soccer. While this year didn’t deliver any major silverware, we stll saw important runs for both teams. At the same time, the Greek national team in soccer has many fans excited for what lies ahead as it sets...

17 λεπτά

We’re almost at the halfway point of Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ second term. Despite a few political storms over the past years, New Democracy, the prime minister’s party, is riding out a wave of dissatisfaction among voters, holding steady at about 30 percent. At the same time, a rudderless and divided opposition can’t seem to translate this into votes. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in...

11 λεπτά

Despite pressure from the Trump administration for a peace deal or a ceasefire in Ukraine, Russia appears to be stepping up its attacks, launching almost 500 drones and missiles at Ukraine earlier this week. With President Trump keen on bringing this war to an end, or washing his hands of what he views as a European issue, Europe is debating how to build up their defense capabilities and...

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Kathimerini featured a story recently on the Cyclades, specifically sounding the alarm over what some are calling the “Disneyfication” of the islands amid unchecked tourism and construction. This is an issue that has been at the forefront of discussions over the past years when talking about striking a balance between sustainability and tourism in Greece, and the Sustainable Cyclades project...

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At the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens last year, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Greece would create two marine parks that would raise the extent of Greece’s marine protected areas to 30 percent. Last year’s announcement also led to objections from Turkey, adding a geopolitical angle to this discussion. Now, reports indicate Greece is about to pass legislation to make this...

12 λεπτά

As Europe faces increasing pressure over access to fresh water, the problem has become particularly acute in Greece. Reports indicate that Athens and the Attica region will face a water crisis in the coming years under current climate conditions, while the spotlight is increasingly on how to preserve and manage water resources across the country. In addition, this challenge has taken on a...

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Reports that Eastern Libya's parliament is considering endorsing the 2019 maritime agreement between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government in Libya that attempted to split the eastern Mediterranean between the two - and at the expense of neighboring countries - is sounding the alarm in Greece and Egypt. Sean Mathews, a journalist for the Middle East Eye covering the Middle East, North Africa...

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Last week a $7 billion energy deal involving the United States, Turkey and Qatar, was signed in Damascus, a move designed to revive Syria's crippled power sector. The move raises questions about Qatar and Turkey’s role in post-Assad Syria and about the Trump administration’s Syria policy. The move also comes as Turkey’s President Erdogan is continuing his crackdown on opposition voices. Henri...

15 λεπτά

From the “Vertical Gas Corridor” to projects in the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece is stepping up its efforts on the energy front. This is placing it at the heart of exciting new developments that will link the East Med with Central Europe and even Ukraine, while drawing the attention of US energy giants like Exxon Mobil and Chevron. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English...

11 λεπτά

A recent court ruling in Egypt has sounded alarm bells in Athens and around the world as it seems to put the status of St. Catherine’s monastery in Sinai, a UNESCO world heritage site, at risk. This has prompted reactions at the highest levels, with Prime Minister Mitsotakis speaking with his Egyptian counterpart and emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the monastery’s status as a Greek...

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The US and the EU seem to have agreed to speed up trade talks after President Trump issued and then postponed a 50 percent tariff threat. While many European leaders welcomed this move, it’s still unclear whether Washington and Brussels can bridge the divide between them. Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern...

12 λεπτά

This week Turkey’s President Erdogan said he was putting together a team to draft a new constitution, a move that comes in the wake of Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s arrest. Many critics see this push for a new constitution as a power play designed to allow Erdogan to remain in power beyond 2028, when his current term ends. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for...

15 λεπτά

Reports indicate that President Trump and members of his administration are looking for ways to circumvent or lift CAATSA sanctions and put arms sales, particularly of F-35 jets, back on the table with Turkey. They are coming up against a challenge that is significantly more complex than simply waiving sanctions. Lena Argiri, the DC correspondent for ERT - the Greek Public Broadcasting Company...

9 λεπτά

There’s a new bipartisan bill - the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act - that’s once again putting the spotlight on Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and their potential roles in IMEC, a project increasingly seen as the answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of HALC, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why this new legislation matters, look at how the East Med...

11 λεπτά

This week EU ambassadors agreed on a €150 billion defense lending scheme, Security Action For Europe, or SAFE. EU officials are calling this "an important step toward a stronger Europe." In a move that has raised eyebrows in Athens and Nicosia, the agreement allows for limited participation by third countries – including Turkey. Following the announcement, Prime Minister Mitsotakis called on...

10 λεπτά

Since before President Trump’s return to office, the focus in the US has been on China. As the Trump administration turns up the pressure on Beijing, this is also putting the spotlight on vital infrastructure - from the Panama canal to China’s Belt and Road initiative. This has the potential to impact Greece as well, given its close ties to the US, the investment China’s Cosco made in the port...

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The conflict between Pakistan and India has put Turkey’s arms industry in the spotlight, exposing the limits of its much lauded drones and raising questions about whether Turkey’s arms industry is a loser in this latest round of conflict. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Thanos Davelis as we...

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