Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis has said Greece will support Ukraine’s territorial integrity in the event of a Russian invasion. What exactly does this even mean? What isAthens going to do should Russia actually invade? Furthermore, why does Athens have an interest in Ukraine? What Greek interests are at stake?
Turkey has occupied Cyprus since 1974 and has ethnically cleansed the occupied territories of Greece. Turkey is openly threatening war with Greece by demanding the demilitarization of the Greek islands. Why does Mitsotakis care about Ukraine?
Sadly, the answer to this rhetorical question is that Greece is internationalist in its foreign policy. Greece has been westernized to such an extent that its sovereignty and independence in foreign affairs is nonexistent. Mitsotakis is much better in his foreign policy than his predecessors but far from perfect.
NATO and the European Union view Russia as a threat. Serious Greeks with a nationalist ethos and who are solidly Orthodox are pro Russian. Russian is not a threat to Greece and alone among the great powers has never dominated Greece or interfered in the internal affairs of Greece. Sorry, the Communists of the Soviet era do not count.
The only obstacle to the flourishing of Greek-Russian relations are ties between Russia and Turkey. The Russians sat on the sidelines when Azerbaijan with the backing of Turkey defeated the Armenians over a year ago. Russian support for Turkey is an obstacle to good relations with Greece. Of course, Patriarch Bartholomew has made Greek-Russian relations worse with his meddling in Ukraine.
For now, Greek foreign policy needs to concentrate on one thing. Defending its territorial integrity from Turkey. NATO has made very clear it has no interest in helping Greece. Within the European Union, the Germans have made it clear that Greece can expect no help or assistance.
Greece needs to keep all options open in Moscow and Washington. Washington right now cannot be depended on because it is agitating for war in Ukraine. As long as Russia is considered the enemy, Washington will support Turkey. Incidentally, Turkey is supplying Ukraine with drones which is angering the Russians.
Prime Minister Mitsotakis is in a tough position. For now, he should make no commitments to any cause other than the Hellenic cause. That means staying out of Ukraine and concentrating on defending the Hellenic homeland from Turkish aggression.
5 replies on “Why Is Athens This Stupid?”
The Greek government has to walk a fine line these days. Greece is a member of NATO and obligated to go along with whatever policy the big NATO members decide, they really have no choice in that. Another major issue is the Socialists who controlled the Greek government for many decades ‘spent a lot of Greek image capital’ by continually badmouthing America and western Europe, that has not been forgotten in Washington DC, Berlin and London. To top it off, those same Socialists used Greek entry into the Eurozone to borrow and spend Greece into receivership-recall the humiliating bailout negotiations of 2014. Under Mitsotakis Greece has managed to improve it’s fiscal and business climate significantly, though national debt is still very high. Greece is coming back in fact and in image in western circles, but asking western governments to forgive a lot of Greek debt spent a lot more image capital.
Russia did not bail Greece out, the western nations did. Mitsotakis knows he’s reliant on the western nations, western capital markets, NATO for Defense support, western nation support on sovereign territory issues with Turkey, etc, etc, etc.. Whatever his feelings regarding ‘Orthodox Russia’, he has to do what’s politically possible from an economic and strategic standpoint.
As for Ukraine, once you look into it you see the same old faces-and persons-behind the scenes promoting western attitudes and strategic direction towards NATO membership. I don’t think I have to mention any names, you know who I mean. Western NGO’s and private persons and institutions poured lots of money into Ukraine to get Zelensky elected. He’s really done a mediocre job as President of Ukraine and his polls are down in the 30’s, but folks realize with the backing and money he has it’s unlikely he’ll be ‘voted’ out of office. He’s made no secret he is not a fan of Russia or Putin and the Russians know that without a friendly government in Ukraine they are a non-European nation. And nearly all very profitable Russian energy resources are piped through Ukraine currently. With an unfriendly government in Kyiv the Russians see themselves with fingers around their throat.
Once again, non-elected Elites in the US and western Europe maneuvered us into a confrontation with the Russians that is going to be costly economically and only the Elites will benefit in the long run-everybody else will get hammered economically. Naturally, nobody in the US news media-not even FOX-is talking about ‘the rest of the story’,only about how terrible Vlad Putin is. I believe Putin could have made better decisions and not invaded, but our hands are dirty as well. And innocent people will die on all sides. Shameful.
The west did not bail Greece out for reasons of kindness. They did it for their own purposes. I agree fully about Tsipras and Syriza. Probably the worst government Greece ever had.
I get that Greece is a NATO state but at some point Greece has to take an independent stand or else. Greece cannot capitulating its own interests for the sake of NATO.
Putin should not have invaded. But on the other hand years of anti Russian hysteria have taken their toll. I can say one thing with certainty. I do have a renewed appreciation for democracy.
Donald Trump demonstrated that one guy can make a difference. For all his faults, Trump did not start any wars in his four years in office.
If Trump were President Russia would not have invaded Ukraine.
Indeed, President Trump would have avoided war by letting Putin know he would not tolerate an invasion of Ukraine. Biden had a phone call with Putin and he invaded two days later, what does that tell you about Biden’s influence? Putin is a Russian strongman, he can recognize a puppet President and a weakling in an eye blink. Still, I’m amazed Putin mishandled this so badly. It must be the impact of being the leader in an authoritarian state, there are few voices being heard of good counsel. He needs advisers around him giving him better advice, not yes men. I agree with you, for all it’s faults western Democracy is the best form of government yet devised. We have checks and balances and-for the most part-free speech. That’s needed to avoid conflict.
Trump would have avoided war because he would not have tried to push Ukraine into NATO. Trump respected Russia and would not have created the conditions which led to the Russian invasion.
It would not have been necessary for Trump to warn Putin of anything because there would have been no crisis to begin with.