This week the leaders of the Hellenic Caucus in Congress sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to invite President Christodoulides to the White House to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. They also urged the Biden administration to take a series of steps that could take the US-Cyprus relationship to new heights. In the meantime, Prime Minister Mitsotakis will visit New York and Chicago next week, a visit that highlights Greece’s growing reputation beyond W...
Jan 20, 2024•11 min•Ep. 911
As Greece’s government looks set to get marriage equality legislation over the finish line, the bill itself has managed to rattle Greece’s political system - particularly within New Democracy, Greece’s ruling party. Given dissent within New Democracy over the bill, the government will need to look across the aisle to pass it. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this bill, look at how it's impacting Greece’s political scene, and touch on the br...
Jan 19, 2024•15 min•Ep. 910
The seemingly unstoppable rise of tourism is transforming countries in ways that until recently belonged to the realm of the imagination. Greece is no exception, as it’s among the places most affected by this trend. Professor Stathis Kalyvas, the chairman of the Board of Directors at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and Gladstone Professor of Government at the University of Oxford’s Department of Politics and International Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how the rise of...
Jan 18, 2024•13 min•Ep. 909
About a week ago Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Turkey, where he met with Turkish President Erdogan. Diplomatic sources said Blinken arrived bearing potential gifts to entice Turkey to wrap up the issue of Sweden’s NATO membership. These included everything from new ways to provide F-16s to Turkey to a White House visit for Turkish President Erdogan. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a...
Jan 17, 2024•11 min•Ep. 908
Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias recently outlined a new approach for how the Greek armed forces will be run, calling it “the armed forces of 2030”. Part of this new approach includes bolstering Greece’s defense industry, as Dendias noted that Greece cannot continue to buy everything it needs from abroad without producing anything of its own. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the key takeaways from his exclusive interview with Def...
Jan 16, 2024•15 min•Ep. 907
This new year finds Washington in a bind over how to effectively engage with Turkey, a trend we’ve documented for at least half a decade. The tug of war over Sweden and F16s, and Ankara’s stance on the Arab-Israeli conflict, are the latest examples of this. Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to break down why a tough stance toward Ankara - setting clear parameters and enforcing them relentlessly - is the only way to defend US regional interests and stop Erdogan’s mercurial and manipulative ...
Jan 13, 2024•14 min•Ep. 906
Greece’s government announced on Wednesday it will scrap all the fines imposed on the elderly who never got vaccinated against Covid-19, a move which has sparked heated debate in Greece. The decision comes amid a simultaneous outbreak of three respiratory infections, including Covid-19 and influenza. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest move by the government,...
Jan 12, 2024•8 min•Ep. 905
Over a year ago there were concerns that Turkey’s provocations and threats in the Aegean could turn into conflict. Over the last year, Turkey’s President Erdogan has pulled a 180 degree shift in policy, de-escalating tensions. Ryan Gingeras, a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an expert on Turkish, Balkan, and Middle East history, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the prospects for Greek-Turkish relations in 2024, the role of Washington, ...
Jan 10, 2024•13 min•Ep. 904
As Europeans prepare to head to the polls in June to vote for the European Parliament, there is a growing concern as far-right parties are making gains across the continent. We have seen far right candidates win elections in the Netherlands, while France’s National Rally and the German Alternative for Germany are gaining in popularity amid concerns over migration and inflation. Alexandra Voudouri, Kathimerini's Brussels correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what’s at stake this year in ...
Jan 09, 2024•14 min•Ep. 903
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Greece this weekend, and he and Prime Minister Mitsotakis once again highlighted how Greece-US relations are at their best, with both countries standing together in the face of some of the most acute challenges in the region. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key takeaways from Secretary Blinken’s latest visit to Greece, and explain why it is time to apply the Biden A...
Jan 09, 2024•13 min•Ep. 902
2024 will see more than four billion people across three dozen countries head to the polls, in what the Washington Post has described as possibly “the greatest rolling spectacle of democracy in human history.” The stakes will be high in many countries, but all eyes, including in Greece, will be on the US elections as the latest polls suggest we may be in for a repeat of the 2020 election between President Biden and former President Trump. Constantinos Filis, the Director of the Institute of Glob...
Jan 05, 2024•11 min•Ep. 901
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis set the tone for the new year this week, announcing a mini cabinet reshuffle aimed at boosting his government ahead of expected reforms. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what we should expect following this reshuffle and look at Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ agenda for 2024, which includes passing key legislation permitting non-state universities in Greece, allowing for postal voting, and legalizin...
Jan 04, 2024•13 min•Ep. 900
On Wednesday the US and a host of international allies warned that Iran-backed Houthi militants will face “consequences” if they continue to “threaten lives” and disrupt trade in the Red Sea. Earlier this week, what’s become an increasingly volatile crisis gained a new dimension as Iran sent a warship to the region, escalating tensions. Bradley Bowman, the senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at t...
Jan 03, 2024•14 min•Ep. 899
It seemed Sweden was ready to cross the finish line last week, with the stage set for Turkey’s parliament to vote on Sweden’s NATO bid. At the 11th hour, however, Turkey introduced new demands over its request for F-16s. This has put Washington in a bind, as for months the issue of F-16s to Turkey seems to have been linked to the sale of F-35s to Greece. Lena Argiri, the DC correspondent for ERT - Greece’s public broadcaster - and a contributor to Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis from Washingto...
Jan 02, 2024•9 min•Ep. 898
The US has put together an international armada to deter Iranian-backed Houthi militias from Yemen from attacking shipping in the Red Sea, and this week Greece announced that it will participate in this US led mission - dubbed Operation Prosperity Guardian. Nikolas Katsimpras, a lecturer in Columbia University’s Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program, an international affairs consultant, a veteran officer of the Hellenic Navy, and a contributor to Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discus...
Dec 22, 2023•10 min•Ep. 897
The European Union on Wednesday broke years of political deadlock, striking a landmark deal on migration as negotiators worked through the night to agree on the overhaul of the bloc’s asylum procedures. The breakthrough was hailed as “historic” by EU leaders. Angeliki Dimitriadi, the head of the migration program at ELIAMEP, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this new migration deal, and break down what it means for frontline states like Greece and Cyprus. You can read the articles we discuss on ...
Dec 22, 2023•16 min•Ep. 896
It's been almost one year since the State Department notified Congress of the potential F-35 sale to Greece. Unfortunately, the sale has still yet to move forward. This delay coincides with Turkish President Erdogan’s attempts to use Sweden’s NATO membership to pressure the US over the sale of F16s. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the HALC, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the efforts to move the F35 sale to Greece forward, and break down why progress in Greek-American relations should ...
Dec 21, 2023•13 min•Ep. 895
For the second year in a row The Economist once again listed Greece as the top economic performer of the year out of a list of 35 countries, beating the likes of the United States, the UK, Germany, and Japan. Alex Patelis, the chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Greece’s economic performance over the last year, and break down why we should expect Greece’s economy to continue to outperform in the coming year. You can read the articles we d...
Dec 19, 2023•12 min•Ep. 894
Last week European leaders focused on EU enlargement, from the Western Balkans to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. While the EU wants closer ties with these countries, it has also made it clear that it expects reforms, particularly when it comes to issues related to the rule of law and justice. Dimitar Bechev, a research fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe and a lecturer at Oxford’s School of Global and Area Studies, joins Thanos Davelis to look...
Dec 18, 2023•12 min•Ep. 893
As EU leaders meet in Brussels this week, their focus is largely on Ukraine and its ties to the EU. In the buildup to the summit, however, the Western Balkans also caught their attention. This includes the case of Albania and the imprisoned mayor-elect of Himare Fredi Beleri, which has not only caused a rift in Greek-Albanian relations, but also between Athens and Berlin this week. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis. You can...
Dec 15, 2023•12 min•Ep. 892
All top-flight soccer matches in Greece will be played without fans in the stadiums for the next two months, as the focus in Greece once again turns to cracking down on supporter violence following a series of violent incidents at matches. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to explore the issue of fan violence in Greece, and look at the government’s latest efforts to crack down on it. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here: Greek footb...
Dec 14, 2023•11 min•Ep. 891
One of the key figures that captured the hardship of the decade-long economic crisis in Greece was the unemployment rate, which peaked at 28 percent in the summer of 2013. Today, the latest statistics show that Greece’s unemployment rate has fallen below 10 percent for the first time since the onset of the crisis. Yiannis Mouzakis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how Greece brought down ...
Dec 13, 2023•12 min•Ep. 890
Last week we heard Turkish President Erdogan, who once declared that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis “no longer exists” for him, now call him his “friend Kyriakos”. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down whether this “transformation” on the part of Turkey’s leader is genuine, and explain why it’s important that the Greek public understand how the US factored into this transformation. Read Endy Zemenides’ lat...
Dec 12, 2023•10 min•Ep. 889
Is it time to reconsider Turkey’s NATO membership? With the alliance having to constantly grapple with an uncooperative and at times even combative Turkish leader in President Erdogan, the question is as timely as ever. Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to look at why this discussion needs to take place and explore how NATO members can deal with a country that seems devoted to undermining the trans-Atlantic alliance. Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense...
Dec 09, 2023•15 min•Ep. 888
All eyes were on Athens on Thursday as Prime Minister Mitsotakis met with Turkey’s President Erdogan, with the two leaders reiterating their commitment to “calm waters” in the Aegean. John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera’s Southeast Europe correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the key takeaways from President Erdogan’s visit to Athens, including whether we are witnessing the beginning of a reset in relations after years of tensions. You can read the...
Dec 08, 2023•14 min•Ep. 887
With diplomatic relations between Greece and Egypt deepening over the last years, there has been a renewed focus on the ties binding these two Mediterranean countries. One link that is back in the spotlight is the historic Greek community in Egypt, which for the last 200 years has maintained ties with homelands on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea. Steven Tagle and Professor Alexander Kitroeff join Thanos Davelis to look into this dynamic community and explore how their historical role as a br...
Dec 07, 2023•12 min•Ep. 886
Athens will take center stage on Thursday as Turkey’s President Erdogan visits Greece’s capital to meet with Prime Minister Mitsotakis amid a sense of reserved optimism. While observers do not expect much movement on the thorny issues in the relationship, Athens is looking forward to a continuation of “calm waters” in the Aegean and to implementing a positive agenda. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what we should look out for ah...
Dec 06, 2023•12 min•Ep. 885
This weekend at COP28 Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that despite the “climate devastation” experienced this year “a new Greece is emerging” that will see renewables, where Greece had “one of the best performances of any European country,” take center stage. Nikos Tsafos, the chief energy advisor to the Prime Minister of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this Greek success story and look at how renewable energy investments - from wind and solar to green islands - are changing Greece’s en...
Dec 05, 2023•16 min•Ep. 884
Exactly 200 years ago, President Monroe outlined what became known as the Monroe doctrine, a doctrine that framed US foreign policy for nearly a century. Just as Monroe was formulating this new policy, however, an unexpected event occurred: The Greek Revolution. Professor Aristotle Tziampiris, the author of the recent book The Monroe Doctrine and the Greek Revolution , joins Thanos Davelis on the 200 year anniversary of the Monroe Doctrine to look at how the Greek fight for independence captivat...
Dec 02, 2023•13 min•Ep. 883
Henry Kissinger, the controversial former US National Security Advisor and Secretary of State, passed away on Wednesday, aged 100. He was both celebrated and reviled, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize while being roundly condemned by many as a war criminal. The regions and conflicts that Kissinger intervened in, leaving a dark legacy, include Cyprus, where the former Secretary of State normalized US appeasement of Turkey almost a half-century ago when he secretly backed Turkey’s invasion of the is...
Dec 01, 2023•10 min•Ep. 882
