The Greek Current

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 the “mother of all wake-up calls” from Washington toward Europe.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Trump Administration Says Europe Faces ‘Civilizational Erasure’Trump warns Europe faces ‘civilizational erasure’ in explosive new documentU.S. Flips History by Casting Europe—Not Russia—as Villain in New Security PolicyFarmers step up road blockades across GreecePM urges farmers to scale back protests, promises payments by year-endTurkey, US will find way of removing CAATSA sanctions ‘very soon’, Turkish FM says

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 of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into what’s being called a “historic” deal that also serves to bridge the EU with the Middle East.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Cyprus–Lebanon deal sets new legal line in the Eastern Med, and Ankara isn’t loving itLebanon, Cyprus sign maritime deal, paving way for possible energy explorationGreece, Bulgaria and Romania sign agreement on Aegean-Black Sea corridorCyprus pledges Ukraine will be ''front and center” during EU presidency

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 Davelis to break down the stakes as farmers take to the streets. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Farmers dig in as clashes and political tension escalateFarmers not going anywhere as protest action persistsChristodoulides rolls into Kyiv for face-to-face talks with ZelenskyUS presses Athens on Ukraine fund

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 adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Cohen chair in international relations at Lehigh University.Endy Zemenides is Executive Director of HALC.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:The US ‘goal’ is to serve as a ‘bridge’ in Greek-Turkish tiesPM urges farmers to avoid roadblocks, pledges faster subsidy paymentsGreece to repay €5.29 billion early under first memorandum loans

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 look into these developments and explore the ways Greece is betting on AI.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Mitsotakis meets Mistral AI CEO to discuss AI collaborationWatch: Συζήτηση Κυριάκου Μητσοτάκη με τον Arthur Mensch | GenAI SummitGreece joins EU defense programFarmers blockade highways over payments

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 of Finance, and the chairman of the Clerides Institute, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at these peace talks, the parallels between what Russia is doing in Ukraine and what Turkey has done for over 50 years in Cyprus, and more.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Rubio Says ‘Much Work to Do’ After Talks With Ukrainian DelegationEU tells Trump: You can’t pardon Putin for war crimes in Ukraine Γράμμα από το ΚίεβοEurope Fears It Can’t Catch Up in Great Power CompetitionLebanon, Cyprus sign maritime deal, paving way for possible energy explorationJoint declaration signed in Pope’s historic first visit to Patriarchate

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 Davelis as we take a closer look at Greece and Israel’s growing defense ties and the opportunities it presents for the region and the US.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Eyeing Turkey, Israel and Greece Work To Deepen Defense TiesPope Leo XIV visits Turkey and Lebanon on first foreign tripPope Leo to take peace message to Turkey, Lebanon on first overseas tripGreek households’ real incomes still below 2004 levels

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 in Trump’s Ukraine peace plan, and questions about whether the Russians are running an influence operation in DC. Endy Zemenides, HALC's Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis as we break all of this down.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Optimism ahead of pope’s visit to Turkey for reopening of Istanbul’s Greek Orthodox seminary‘We must strive for unity of the churches’White House to meet clergy with ties to pro-war Russian Orthodox ChurchAre the Russians Running an Influence Operation in Congress?Greek secondary school teachers to be trained in using AI in classroomTurkish delegation meets Ocalan for first time to discuss PKK disarmament

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 Action and coordinator for the "Special Initiative on Securing Ukraine's Future" at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into this plan and what it means for Ukraine, Europe, and NATO.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Trump Peace Plan Demands Major Concessions From UkraineUkraine and U.S. Cite Progress in Talks on Ending War With RussiaTrump's growing impatience to end Ukraine war is a concern for KyivPM says new energy initiatives boost Greece’s geopolitical roleOptimism ahead of pope’s visit to Turkey for reopening of Istanbul’s Greek Orthodox seminary

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 Fordham University, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into the “Orthobro” phenomenon and what it means for the church.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Orthodox Church Pews Are Overflowing With ConvertsAn ‘exceptional’ brand looking for a new identityMitsotakis: Greece aims for ‘win-win’ with US without undoing China deals

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 senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and expert on Europe, joins Thanos Davelis as we look into Russia’s hybrid attacks on Europe, asking the question whether Russia could escalate. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:EU Proposes Multibillion-Euro Plan to Boost Military Mobility, Defense Tech Amid Russia TensionsHow the EU plans to get troops and weapons across the continent to deter Russia‘We are under attack’: Italian defense minister accuses Russia of waging hybrid warPoland plans to charge 2 Ukrainians with sabotage of terrorist nature for railway explosionChina lashes out against US’s Greece ambassador Kimberly GuilfoylePresident Christodoulides to meet with newly elected Turkish-Cypriot leader

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 about ever-deepening US-Cyprus ties. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:US and Cyprus reaffirm deepening tiesUS-backed Elefsina port plan advancesAthens and Kyiv seal naval drone deal

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 this story.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Europe’s Role Reversal: The Problem Economies Are Now Farther NorthKombos highlights Cyprus’ growing value to the U.S.PM says government will allocate over 2 billion euros to support incomes

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 dependence on Russian gas in the spotlight.John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist and Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe. He publishes Hellenica, a weekly deep dive into Greek current affairs and history. You can find it on Substack.com.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Ukraine secures winter gas support from GreeceCyprus urges Turkey to drop two-state demand to advance EU bidAthens tightens security as events peak for Polytechnic uprising anniversaryPresident marks 52 years since Polytechnic uprising

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 be game-changing for Greece. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Exxon enters Greece with gas deal that expands US footprint in eastern MedGreece names Chevron, Helleniq Energy consortium as preferred bidder for offshore gas searchFresh push for Greece-Cyprus cableNew US ambassador says Greece key to countering Russian and Chinese influence