A series of attacks in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have left a Greek flagged ship, the Sounion, stranded, threatening to spill its 1 million barrels of oil into the sea. Greece has taken the lead in coordinating efforts to evacuate and tow the Sounion, but the threat of environmental disaster remains large. 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 into the ongoing ...
Sep 05, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1061
Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Biden in the presidential race, the question for many - especially in Greece and Cyprus - is what to expect from a Harris presidency on foreign policy, and who would have the ear of a potential President Harris. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Vice President Harris’ foreign policy track record, and break down what Greece and Cyprus should expect in the ...
Sep 04, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1060
Today, September 3rd, marks 50 years since Andreas Papandreou founded PASOK, a political party that came to play a key role in Greece from the restoration of democracy to the financial crisis. Harris Mylonas, an Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University and the executive producer of the award winning documentary Searching for Andreas: Political Leadership in Times of Crisis , joins Thanos Davelis to look into PASOK’s 50 year legacy, from i...
Sep 03, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1059
While summer may be winding down, water scarcity, overcrowded streets and rising housing costs are infuriating locals across southern European countries - especially those that rely on tourism. Greece is no exception, and we are seeing reactions to overtourism not only on Greece’s top island destinations, but also in cities like Athens. Professor Dimitris Vayanos joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece’s reliance on tourism and explore whether it is time for Greece to change its tourism model, ...
Aug 30, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1058
Is there an effort afoot to revive the F-35 deal with Turkey? The issue popped up in a report in the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, and has raised questions about whether this is being seriously considered - despite the issue of the Russian S-400s remaining unresolved - or if it is wishful thinking on the part of Ankara. Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest re...
Aug 29, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1057
A recent poll is turning heads in Greece as it shows not only what appears to be a total collapse of the main opposition SYRIZA, which fell into single digit numbers, but also a noticeable decline in support for the ruling New Democracy party. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key takeaways from this poll as we look at what message it sends about Greek politics, from SYRIZA with its never ending cycles of internal crises, PASOK and it...
Aug 28, 2024•17 min•Ep. 1056
Cyprus has emerged as a key player - particularly on the humanitarian front - as the ongoing war in Gaza and the broader crisis in the Middle East unfolds. While it has received international praise for its crucial role in providing aid to Gaza, tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border saw Cyprus face threats from Hezbollah. Professor James Ker-Lindsay, who has worked extensively on the EU, the Balkans, and Southeast Europe, including Cyprus, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how Cyprus is emerging...
Aug 27, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1055
Turkey is putting up roadblocks within NATO that are raising questions about whether the alliance’s largest air exercise, which Greece is preparing to host for the first time, will move forward smoothly. The heart of the issue is the Athens flight information region (FIR), whose jurisdiction Turkey does not fully recognize. This is consistent with Turkey’s broader efforts to turn the Aegean into a disputed territory. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Coun...
Aug 26, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1054
Making housing more affordable is going to be one of the central themes of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ keynote speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair in early September. Property prices, both to buy and rent, have come to dominate the public debate over the past couple of years, as Airbnb, the Golden Visa scheme, and other factors continue to impact the market, leaving many Greeks unable to find homes in major cities like Athens and Thessaloniki. Georgia Nakou, a features editor a...
Aug 23, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1053
This year marked 75 years since the creation of NATO, and the latest summit in Washington, DC sent a clear message that NATO is back, returning to its Cold War roots deterring the Russians and adding new members. At the same time, however, there are increasing concerns in Europe about America’s long-term commitment to their security. This has revived the notion of building up Europe’s defense capabilities. Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Cente...
Aug 22, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1052
Last week Greece - and the region of Attica where Athens is located - suffered another major wildfire that threatened the suburbs of Athens and burned an area almost twice the size of Manhattan. This wildfire came a year after Greece experienced Europe’s largest ever wildfire on record, which burned over half of the Dadia National Park. John Psaropoulos joins Thanos Davelis as we return from a brief summer break to look back at the latest devastating wildfire that tore through Attica, and look a...
Aug 20, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1051
In a recent interview with Politico, President Christodoulides said “We cannot afford to wait for a new effort, a new initiative,” when talking about the Cyprus issue. At the same time, on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Turkish President Erdogan and Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar doubled down on their hardline position in favor of a two state solution. Menelaos Menelaou, the Greek Cypriot Negotiator for the Cyprus Problem, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss whether there is s...
Aug 03, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1050
A few weeks ago it looked like former President Donald Trump was in the driver’s seat of the presidential election. In the last 10 days, however, President Biden dropped out of the race and Vice President Kamala Harris essentially locked up the nomination. William Antholis, the director and CEO of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how this is shaking up the presidential race in the US, and break down what President Biden’s decision - an...
Aug 01, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1049
Over the past month we’ve seen reports that after more than a decade of trying to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria, Turkey’s President Erdogan is now open to resetting relations with President Bashar al-Assad. Henri Barkey, the Cohen Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Erdogan’s u-turn when it comes to Assad, and break down what this could mean for the...
Jul 31, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1048
Last week, for approximately 40 hours, tensions in the Aegean hit heights we had not seen in over a year and a half as Greek and Turkish ships faced off in an area south of the Greek islands of Kassos and Karpathos. Turkish warships had deployed just outside Greece’s territorial waters in an effort to prevent an Italian research vessel from carrying out research for the future deployment of underwater cables for the Great Sea Interconnector. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense e...
Jul 31, 2024•14 min•Ep. 1047
In an escalation of rhetoric that is raising the temperature in the broader region, the last few days have seen Turkey’s President Erdogan threaten to intervene in Israel on behalf of the Palestinians, noting military interventions Turkey has made in the past in other countries. These statements came about a week after reports that Israel had foiled a major terrorist attack orchestrated from Hamas operatives in Turkey. Thanos Davelis spoke with Tyler Stapleton and Sinan Ciddi last week about thi...
Jul 30, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1046
With Ursula von der Leyen securing another term as European Commission President, EU members are now vying for the top positions in the new Commission. In what Politico called a show of his growing political strength, Prime Minister Mitsotakis stressed that Greece must get an important portfolio, one that reflects the country’s economic comeback and strategic position. President Christodoulides is also looking for a heavier post for Cyprus, eyeing the new role in the Commission on the Mediterran...
Jul 27, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1045
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday night will see more than 8,000 of the world’s top athletes - led by Greece - sail along the Seine River in a one of a kind spectacle. Aside from the excitement around the opening ceremony, where Greece and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will carry the Greek flag, there are also high expectations in Greece for all of its athletes. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author of a best-selling biography on Olympic Champion Pyrros...
Jul 25, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1044
This week saw tensions between Greece and Turkey reach levels we have not seen since 2022 in the Aegean as Turkey sent its warships into an area south of the Greek islands of Kassos and Karpathos. The ratcheting up of tensions followed Turkish President Erdogan’s hardline statements on Cyprus this weekend and his calls for Prime Minister Mitsotakis to put Defense Minister Dendias “in his place.” Constantinos Filis, the director of the Institute of Global Affairs and a professor of international ...
Jul 25, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1043
A few months ago, thousands of Armenians took to the streets in anti-government protests calling on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign. Protesters, led by Archbishop Galstanyan, have blasted Pashinyan for what they see as endless concessions being made to Azerbaijan and Turkey with nothing to show for it in return. Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent covering major stories on the Middle East and North Africa who has covered conflicts in Iraq, Syria and the South Caucas...
Jul 23, 2024•15 min•Ep. 1042
The Athens Riviera - a 60 kilometer shoreline spanning from Piraeus to Sounio - is currently undergoing a major rejuvenation, attracting both local and foreign investors. This transformation includes mega-projects like the Ellinikon at the former Athens airport which is touted as the largest real estate project in Europe and promises to be a “smart” city. Eleni Varvitsioti, the Financial Times correspondent for Greece and Cyprus, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the rise of the Athens Riviera a...
Jul 22, 2024•11 min•Ep. 1041
50 years ago, Turkey launched its invasion of Cyprus. Since then, tens of thousands of Turkish troops have occupied over one third of the island. Unfortunately, the US still fails to use the word “occupation” to describe this ongoing violation of international law in Cyprus. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what this failure to speak the truth has meant for efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem, and whether the St...
Jul 20, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1040
On July 20th, 1974, Turkey launched its first invasion of Cyprus. 50 years later, tens of thousands of Turkish troops continue to illegally occupy the northern part of Cyprus, splitting the island in two. Alexis Papachelas, the editor in chief of Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this dark anniversary, the importance of revisiting this moment in history - whether in Athens, Nicosia, or even Washington, DC - with clear eyes, and explore whether there is still a window of opportunity fo...
Jul 19, 2024•13 min•Ep. 1039
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Greece has stood by Ukraine, a decision that angered Moscow. Athens and Kyiv are now negotiating a 10-year assistance agreement. John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera’s Southeast Europe correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the deal Athens is negotiating with Kyiv, break down how Greece has become a critical piece of the puzzle when looking at Western support for Ukraine, and look at w...
Jul 18, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1038
The Tara Ocean Foundation has come to be known worldwide as a leader when it comes to promoting the well-being of our oceans, and its ship, the Tara, is currently docked in Greece, wrapping up a scientific expedition to better understand the biodiversity and ecosystems along Europe’s coastlines. Thanos Davelis was able to tour the ship and see its work up close this week in Athens, and is joined on our podcast by Romain Troublé, the General Director of the Tara Ocean Foundation, to look at the T...
Jul 17, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1037
Last week HALC sounded the alarm over North Macedonia’s adherence to the Prespa Agreement, launching a letter and petition to the State Department urging it to remind Skopje that international agreements are binding - not optional - and that there will be consequences. North Macedonia’s newly elected leaders have repeatedly referred to their country simply as “Macedonia” rather than the constitutional name “North Macedonia”. Given the renewed attention on this issue, we are re-sharing our discus...
Jul 16, 2024•16 min•Ep. 1036
The United States and Turkey are reportedly discussing the possibility of US companies building nuclear reactors in Turkey. This is seen as part of an effort to help Ankara move away from Russia, at the same time as Russia’s state-owned nuclear monopoly, Rosatom, is building a nuclear energy plant in Turkey at Akkuyu. While Washington looks like it is dangling the possibility of cooperation in front of Ankara, Congress is preparing legislation that would sanction Rosatom that could also push the...
Jul 13, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1035
On a narrow street in the old Greek quarter of Alexandria, the world renowned poet and writer Constantine Cavafy created some of the masterpieces that still inspire people across the world today. As of this past May, this home in Alexandria is now open to the public. Together with the Cavafy Archive in Athens, which is home to over 2,000 digitized manuscripts, with poems and handwritten notes, Cavafy’s life and work are now accessible to a global audience. Prof. Gonda Van Steen, the Koraes Chair...
Jul 12, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1034
With Greece deep into its tourism season, issues of over-tourism and sustainability have largely dominated the headlines. A recent article in Kathimerini took a slightly different look at tourism, exploring how it impacts young Greeks. With the quintessential Greek summer increasingly out of reach for many in the country as they are priced out of certain locations, many young people end up taking on seasonal work only to be able to see a beach - something unthinkable for previous generations. Il...
Jul 11, 2024•12 min•Ep. 1033
Last week Keir Starmer led Britain’s center-left Labour Party to a historic win over the Conservative Party. Prior to the elections, in November, Starmer had indicated that if Labour won the general election he would not prevent an agreement for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures. Ioannes Chountis, an adviser in the House of Lords and a council member of the Anglo-Hellenic League, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the recent UK election results, and look at what Starmer taking over at Downi...
Jul 10, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1032
