Athens is facing a delicate balancing act as it seeks to maintain its role as an integral member of the European Union while responding to the unprecedented geopolitical initiatives of US President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Athens – like most EU member states – will not participate in Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” in its current form. He noted that transatlantic relations are becoming increasingly complex.
Greece has traditionally maintained close ties with the United States, especially in response to tensions with Turkey. The country’s diplomatic landscape includes efforts to finalize details for the long-awaited High-Level Cooperation Council meeting in Ankara in early February.
Last week, Turkey issued long-duration navigational warnings, or Navtex, valid through December 31, 2027, asserting its authority to issue permits over roughly half of the Aegean Sea and claiming a demilitarized status for 23 Greek islands.
UN Security Council
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is in New York this week to attend a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday. The meeting will focus on the Middle East, particularly Gaza and its reconstruction. He is also scheduled to meet with UN officials, members of the Greek diaspora, and US political representatives.
French defense deal
French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin will visit Athens on Thursday to meet with Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias as both countries seek to strengthen military cooperation. The two governments have expressed their intention to sign a new, upgraded military cooperation agreement, renegotiating the one signed in 2021.
Cabinet meeting
The cabinet is set to meet on Monday to discuss several issues, including legislative initiatives for affordable housing and a new process for selecting supervisors in the public sector.
Cyprus
The UN secretary-general’s personal envoy on Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin, will host a meeting between Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman on Wednesday.
New Democracy
The ruling New Democracy party will hold its first pre-conference meeting in Ioannina, western Greece, on Saturday, ahead of its major conference in Athens in May. The party plans to hold one pre-conference meeting per month until May, covering all regions of the country.