On May 21st a Turkish court took the unprecedented step of removing the CHP’s elected leadership, led by Ozgur Ozel, the latest sign of Turkish President Erdogan’s tightening grip on the country. It’s also a sign that Erdogan intends to run for another term as president, and with Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in prison, this move can only mean one thing: Erdogan does not intend to leave the result of a future election up to chance. The opposition has vowed it will fight back, but the broader que...
May 30, 2026•59 min•Ep. 1392
Greek politics is shaking up, as it seems the shift into campaigning is kicking into a higher gear. A major shakeup is underway within Greece’s opposition, as this week saw Maria Karystianou, the popular former president of the Tempe victims’ relatives’ association, announce she is stepping into the fray with a new party. In the coming days we’re also expected to see a similar announcement from former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras as he looks to establish himself as the candidate that can unite ...
May 23, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1391
Turkey is once again raising tensions in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, this time putting countries in the region on alert as it prepares a “Blue Homeland” piece of legislation that would essentially enshrine Ankara’s maritime claims into domestic law. The move has Athens on alert, and the question everyone is wondering is whether Turkey is now turning its back on maintaining calm in the region - something that was agreed in Athens a few years ago. Beyond the Aegean and its maritime claim...
May 16, 2026•59 min•Ep. 1390
President Donald Trump’s recent announcement that the US would pull five thousand troops from Germany took allies by surprise. The latest comments, which came in the wake of European criticism of the Iran war, were followed by a threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on automobiles and auto parts from Europe, as the US President claimed on social media that Europe was not living up to its end of a trade agreement struck last summer. The two moves have experts and analysts wondering if this will fu...
May 09, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1389
Last week Cyprus was at the heart of EU developments. For two days it hosted leaders from the EU, from the Middle East, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Topics ranged from critical security issues and the war in Iran, to Europe’s engagement with the broader Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. On the security front, Cyprus is keen to make the EU’s Article 42.7, a mutual defense clause similar to NATO’s Article 5, work in practice. There is a new sense of urgency around this issue a...
May 02, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 1388
Over the past weeks those watching the Eastern Mediterranean can’t help but notice that tensions are heating up between Turkey and Israel as Erdogan’s escalatory posture has some wondering what the wider risks are should this current war of words take on new dimensions. Questions range from what this will mean for US efforts to manage an already tense Middle East, to how this will impact Greece, which has developed close ties with Israel over the past decade and a half? Deciding that he needed t...
Apr 26, 2026•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 1387
All of Europe’s eyes were on Hungary this past weekend, where voters, in a historic election, brought Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's 16 years in power to an end. Orban’s close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his blocking of multiple EU initiatives - including an urgently needed €90 billion loan for Ukraine - had frustrated many across Europe. At the same time, he presided over a system that saw his party gradually gain control of much of the judiciary, bureaucracy, media, uni...
Apr 17, 2026•55 min•Ep. 1386
Recently we marked 77 years since the NATO alliance was founded. Instead of celebrating this milestone, however, President Trump’s comments slamming NATO over its reluctance to help the US secure the Straits of Hormuz, including calling the alliance a “paper tiger” and saying NATO allies were “tested” and they “failed”, have left allies wondering if the future of the alliance is in doubt. Given President Trump’s statements, could a US withdrawal from NATO be in the cards, and what would it mean ...
Apr 10, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 1385
This past weekend, with Easter celebrations around the corner, Christians in Syria were once again the target of attacks that have rocked their dwindling community. This was the latest in a string of attacks since the fall of the Assad regime that have targeted members of the country’s Alawite, Druze and Christian communities, and many minorities - indigenous to the region - are asking if there is space for them in the Syria that’s emerging under President al-Sharaa. This attack also sounded ala...
Apr 03, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1384
Over the past weeks, Greece, like the rest of the world, has one eye on the ongoing war with Iran and is looking to see what this ongoing crisis, which continues to shake markets, will mean for the global economy. For Greece, these concerns include rising prices, the country’s dependence on imported gas and oil, and the possible impact this could have on the tourism sector as a prolonged crisis could affect the upcoming summer season. This has prompted Prime Minister Mitsotakis to announce a pac...
Mar 27, 2026•59 min•Ep. 1383
With the war in Iran dragging on, its ripple effects are being felt around the world. Beyond the clear questions around regional security, stretching from the Middle East to Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, we are also in the midst of what could be an unprecedented and escalating global energy crisis as strikes on international shipping in the strait of Hormuz, which is critical to the oil and gas industry, have essentially shut this vital chokepoint. The war is also testing transatlantic u...
Mar 20, 2026•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 1382
This week kicked off with Turkey announcing the deployment of a number of fighter jets to the occupied part of Cyprus, a move that not only represents a significant escalation in the militarization of the Eastern Mediterranean, where Cyprus has already been targeted by Iranian-made drones, but that may also violate US law. This isn’t the only thing putting Cyprus in the headlines this week. Axios and the Financial Times reported Cyprus could potentially mediate talks between Israel and Lebanon a...
Mar 13, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 1381
Given the incredible feedback we’ve gotten for our "I am HALC" profiles, we will re-release each feature as an individual episode so that you can easily find them and share them. Today, we’re kicking off with our first “I am HALC” profile from January 15th, 2026, where we put the spotlight on Dr. George Chiampas, someone who is not just a national, but a global leader in emergency and sports medicine - whether it’s with US soccer, the Blackhawks, the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Marathon, and now ...
Mar 06, 2026•15 min•Ep. 1380
On the last day of February the United States and Israel launched a major assault on Iran, killing the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sounding alarm bells across the region. Those sirens also went off in Cyprus, which saw Iranian-made drones target Britain’s Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri, prompting a response from Greece and other European partners who deployed ships, jets, and air defense systems to Cyprus. The strikes on Iran also caught European leaders unprepared, and t...
Mar 05, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 1379
This week marked 4 years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the start of a war that served as a wakeup call for Europe and the West. Since then, we’ve seen Europe take drastic steps to cut its ties to Russian gas, redrawing the region’s energy map. Greece has played, and continues to play, a key role in this story. At the same time, questions remain about European security, the continued Russian threat, and whether the Trump administration can deliver a negotiated peace. Finally, the war in...
Feb 27, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 1378
Over the past weeks we’ve seen some major developments in the region, with Greece stepping into the limelight. These include Greece’s announcement that it will send a special battalion to participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, its decision to join the Board of Peace as an observer, and a key briefing hosted by the Eastern Mediterranean Knesset Caucus bringing together legislators and experts from Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the US. At the same time, we’ve also seen Greece’...
Feb 19, 2026•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 1377
About a year into President Trump’s second term, it seems he is on a mission to rewrite the rules of trade, one deal at a time. His Liberation Day tariffs last year rattled markets, and his insistence on using them as a tool to pressure both adversaries and allies has left many - especially in Europe - in disbelief and wondering what’s next. Experts Edward Fishman, Maria Demertzis, Yiannis Mouzakis and Nick Malkoutzis join Thanos Davelis this week to take a closer look at this new age of economi...
Feb 12, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1376
Greece and Cyprus took center stage this week in Washington, DC, as HALC, the Delphi Economic Forum, and Kathimerini’s english edition once again brought top officials and leading experts together to highlight the important role both countries are playing in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the major opportunities - and challenges - ahead for Greece, Cyprus and the US. A few of the headline attendees included Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, wh...
Feb 06, 2026•59 min•Ep. 1375
Since its announcement, President Trump’s “Board of Peace” has made a number of headlines, and many in the region are asking if it can live up to its name, especially when it comes to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. As the President talks peace, he’s also raising the temperature with Iran, with a US aircraft carrier and warships approaching the region. More alarming however, is what seems to be an abandonment of Syria’s Kurds and the message it sends not just to America’s partner...
Jan 29, 2026•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 1374
Defense, security, peace, and alliances are top of mind these days. This is clear in Greece, where we saw Athens take a major step - one that Prime Minister Mitsotakis called historic - toward upgrading its defense capabilities as it welcomed its latest top of the line frigate. The move, however, comes as we see issues over Greenland raise new questions about European security and America’s commitment to the transatlantic relationship. This week, Thanos Davelis digs into what this means for Gree...
Jan 22, 2026•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 1373
The Greek Current is shifting from a daily show to a weekly program, allowing us to bring you deeper analysis and more cutting edge insights on Greece, Cyprus, our diaspora community, and the wider region. We’ll still bring you analysis from thought leaders on the breaking issues of the week, but will also introduce our very own “Meet the Press” roundtable featuring leading experts and journalists from around the world, and are introducing an “I am HALC” feature, where we put the spotlight on HA...
Jan 15, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 1372
Since it was introduced, President Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine has put many European leaders in a bind. With Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus in its 51st year, and amid open Turkish threats against Greece’s Aegean islands, Greece is also worried about the precedent this plan would set. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis as we break down these concerns, the latest comments by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack about resolving Greek-Turkish differences, and Greece’s efforts to aggressively cou...
Dec 15, 2025•13 min•Ep. 1371
In a recent speech Turkish President Erdogan praised Syrians who were born and raised in Turkey, speak Turkish, and are now in Syria, saying, "Right next door to us… a brother nation that speaks our same language is rising anew from the ashes.” The quote has drawn the attention of experts like Ryan Gingeras, who joins Thanos Davelis as we look into what it tells us about Erdogan’s worldview, and why this is something to keep an eye on as we look at the shifting power dynamics in the Levant. You ...
Dec 12, 2025•15 min•Ep. 1370
The Trump administration’s NSS - and its scathing critique of Europe - has drawn a lot of attention over the past days. Yet, this is only part of the big picture when we talk about the problems facing European leaders, which include everything from the war in Ukraine - where pressure is mounting - to a sluggish economy and the far right. Steven Erlanger, the chief diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times covering Europe, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the stakes Europe’s leaders face. Yo...
Dec 11, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1369
The Economist just highlighted Greece as an example for countries looking to digitalize, recognizing the efforts Athens made between 2018 and 2024 to transform its public services and embrace the digital transformation. Diomidis Spinellis, a former Greek official now with the Athens University of Economics, joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at this story. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here: Greece is teaching Germany how to get government online The Greek econom...
Dec 10, 2025•11 min•Ep. 1368
This weekend we heard Hakan Fidan say he believes Ankara and Washington will find a way to remove CAATSA sanctions "very soon". His comments echo those of US Ambassador Tom Barrack, who was quoted saying that the “hurdle” blocking F-35 access for Turkey might be resolved within 4 to 6 months. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on Turkish politics, joins Thanos Davelis as we look to break down why Barrack and Fidan insist a “soluti...
Dec 09, 2025•14 min•Ep. 1367
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 ...
Dec 08, 2025•11 min•Ep. 1366
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 t...
Dec 05, 2025•11 min•Ep. 1365
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...
Dec 04, 2025•13 min•Ep. 1364
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 ...
Dec 03, 2025•16 min•Ep. 1363
