The Greek government has signed a defense pact with the United Arab Emirates which is directed against Turkey. This is yet another example of the assertive and bold foreign policy being conducted by the Mitsotakis government. Turkish President Erdogan has made many enemies through his arrogance and aggressive designs. Athens has wisely been establishing closer ties with those countries who perceive Turkey as a threat.
The Mitsotakis government is the best government Greece has had in a long time. It has built real and genuine alliances with countries that share Greece’s interests. The alliances with France, Egypt, and now the United Arab Emirates are real and genuine as they share Greece’s interests in resisting Turkish aggression. This is in contrast with NATO which is a fake alliance and which does not support or share Greek interests.
Germany is a perfect example which is in theory an ally of Greece. In fact, Germany is no friend of Greece and Berlin is interested only in appeasing the Turkish aggressor at the expense of Greece and Cyprus. The Mitsotakis foreign policy is a demonstration of Greek sovereignty which is coming alive.
The Russian Embassy in Athens has recently condemned the reopening of the beach of Varosha in the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus. Russia has likewise expressed support for the right of Greece to extend its territory to twelve nautical miles in the Aegean Sea. Closer ties with Russia look promising.
In any case, Mitsotakis has done much to liberate Greek foreign policy from the traditional constraints imposed upon it by the United States and NATO. Greek policy is headed in the right direction but the danger of an American intervention in Greek affairs should not be ruled out. Greeks should remember the downfall of the Karamanlis government in the final stage of the Bush administration.
The Karamanlis government had concluded an agreement with Russia to build an oil pipeline that would carry oil through Bulgaria into Greece. Washington bullied Prime Minister Karamanlis and brought down his government. The major beneficiary of that coup was the internationalist George Papandreou who won the elections that took place soon after.
Part of the reason for recent Greek success in deterring Turkish aggression has been the Trump administration’s absence from the scene. Traditionally, in all cases of Greek-Turkish conflict all administrations applied pressure on Athens to appease Ankara. The Trump administration should be seen as pro Greek simply on the grounds that if refrained from getting involved. The Trump administration was the first administration that did not bully Greece into submission.
Greece may very well come to rue the downfall of President Donald Trump. In addition, Russophobia could become a serious problem for Greece. The Democrats being motivated by a hysterical anti Russian hatred could seek to embrace Turkey as a counter to what they perceive as the “Russian threat”. Historically, the Ottoman Empire was the beneficiary of British and French Russophobia and was backed in its wars with Russia.
Turkey was a beneficiary of the Cold War in which the Soviet Union was the prime enemy of the western world. If the Biden administration targets Russia as a threat the “Deep State” could very well look to embrace Turkey as a counter. This would not be to the interests of Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia all of whom have traditionally suffered as a result of the west’s pro-Turkish policies.
The Erdogan government is led by a fanatic and an extremist so it may very well be that Ankara will not be inclined to cooperate with the United States. Still, as long as Russophobia remains entrenched within the American foreign policy establishment the danger will remain that the US will attempt to revive the traditional pro Turkish policies.
The Mitsotakis government has been doing well in foreign policy but needs to be very careful and should do nothing to alienate the Russians especially at a time when Russia has been publicly expressing support for Greece and Cyprus.