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This week we’re turning our attention to the Horn of Africa, where a long-simmering conflict in Ethiopia recently exploded into open war. The situation is grim, but it’s not limited to Africa’s second most populous nation. Eritrea has been pulled into the conflict, Sudan’s civil war is right next door, and on the other side of the Red Sea the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen continue to strike the Saudis. Making an already complicated situation even worse, a number of regional powers, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel are all vying for influence in the region, linking the Horn of Africa with the wider Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean. We’ve already seen rivalries between these countries manifest in proxy struggles. One rivalry to watch is between Israel and Turkey. We’ve seen Turkey invest heavily in the region, especially in Somalia, where Turkey has deployed F-16s and advanced drones, and trains Somali troops at Camp TUKRSOM, its largest overseas military base. Meanwhile, Somaliland – which broke away from Somalia and is only recognised by Israel – is urgently seeking Israeli military support. Turkey’s actions aren’t limited to Somalia. Turkey’s rapid expansion in Africa is part of a highly calculated, decades-long multi-pronged approach that has seen it strike up bilateral relationships with scores of African states with deals ranging from educational programs to natural resources, military assistance, and arms sales. As the Horn of Africa draws in regional powers, the question that arises is what does this mean for Greece? So far, Greece has stationed Patriot missiles in Saudi Arabia, defending it against threats that include the Houthis, and is playing an active role in the Red Sea through the EU’s naval mission ASPIDES to protect international shipping. Given how developments in the region are increasingly part of a wider arc of conflict spanning from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Horn of Africa, this is a region Greece can not afford to ignore. Ambassador Michelle Gavin, Sinan Ciddi, and Professor Asteris Huliaras join Thanos Davelis this week as we look at the conflicts in the Horn of Africa, and break down why they matter for Greece. A little more info on our guests: Ambassador Michelle Gavin is the Ralph Bunche senior fellow for Africa policy studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at FDD and director of its Turkey program. Asteris Huliaras is a professor of comparative politics and international relations at the University of the Peloponnese where he holds a Jean Monnet Chair on EU Relations with Less Developed Countries. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

Athens was buzzing this week as Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Greece. His speech with the Acropolis in the background made headlines around the world, and his emphasis on Greece’s role as “a source of stability in an unstable world" and a “model ally” did not go unnoticed.  Beyond Rubio’s comments, his visit coincided with the 6th US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, reflecting the excellent level of relations between the two countries and their commitment to deepening their already close ties and promoting regional stability. As discussions unfolded, defense and energy took center stage.  On security and defense, highlights included a $4 billion agreement for advanced US military equipment, establishing links between the Greek armed forces and the Florida National Guard, and expanding law enforcement and counterterrorism cooperation.  On energy, the Vertical Gas Corridor and the Great Sea Interconnector, particularly the latter, dominated the news cycle. In an interview with Kathimerini, Secretary Rubio stated that the GSI, which is set to link the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, and which Turkey is keen to disrupt, was an “important priority” for the US. Rubio also addressed important questions related to Turkey, stating that he believed a Greek-Turkish crisis would be “unimaginable” and something the US could “never allow to happen.” He also made it clear that any sale of F-35s to Turkey was off the table until the strict conditions laid out under US law are met. Turkey’s behavior is a particular concern for countries in the region and Turkey observers, as President Erdogan adopts an increasingly revisionist posture across the Eastern Mediterranean, from Syria and the Horn of Africa to the Aegean. Elena Lazarou, Endy Zemenides, Vassilis Nedos, Sinan Ciddi, and Tyler Stapleton join Thanos Davelis this week as we dig into the Rubio visit and the challenge Turkey poses to the region. A little more info on our guests: Elena Lazarou is the Director General of ELIAMEP. Endy Zemenides is the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council Vassilis Nedos is Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor. Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at FDD and director of its Turkey program. Tyler Stapleton is the senior director of government relations at FDD Action. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

On August 4, a drone struck the wing of a Ukrainian aircraft at Germany’s Leipzig Airport and fell onto the tarmac. It failed to explode. Two more drones were also found nearby over the next few days.  All the evidence has pointed to Russia as the main culprit, with German officials highlighting how the Leipzig airport attack followed a “well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, also said the alliance "stands in full solidarity with Germany", adding that “The evidence is clear.” This incident has put a renewed focus on Russia’s escalating hybrid campaign against Europe, and raises questions about how policymakers across the continent can and should respond. While Russia targets Europe, we’ve seen a number of far-right parties - that seem to share President Vladimir Putin’s “anti-woke” views and have called for curtailing military and financial aid to Ukraine and rapprochement with Russia - make gains in key countries like Germany and France. As these parties gain momentum, what will this mean for Europe’s Russia policy? The upsurge in support for far right parties in Europe’s key states is also raising concerns in Greece, which is preparing for national elections in the spring. Could it happen here as well? While the far-right is fragmented, previous election results suggest there is an electoral base. The release of Ilias Kasidiaris from prison, a former leading figure of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, and his announcement that he intends to re-enter politics, is also adding a new dimension to the debate about the prospects of a far-right revival. Alexander Gabuev, Dimitar Bechev, and Lamprini Rori join Thanos Davelis this week as we take a closer look at these developments.  A little more info on our guests: Alexander Gabuev is the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Dimitar Bechev is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe and director of the Dahrendorf Programme on Europe in a Changing World at the European Studies Centre of the University of Oxford's St Antony's College. Lambrini Rori is an Associate Professor in Political Analysis at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

At the height of the last decade’s financial crisis, Greece was not only struggling to keep capital in the country, but its borrowing cost was also sky high.  Today, Greece is wooing the world’s leading hedge funds with a new tax regime designed to lure investors to establish substantial operations in Athens, and we’ve already seen it persuade billionaire Chris Rokos and the hedge fund Millennium Management to establish a presence in the country. At the same time, Prime Minister Mitsotakis highlighted Greece's economic success and its progress on the fiscal front this week in meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York, emphasizing that Greece’s borrowing costs are now lower than those of four G7 countries - the US, the UK, France, and Italy.  This news comes at a tense time in global markets, as government bond prices fall worldwide, and yields rise accordingly. Moving us to global developments, President Trump used the UNGA as an opportunity to once again lay out a “winner takes all” vision of US power, while sealing a deal over Greenland that potentially removes one of the biggest thorns in the transatlantic relationship.  As the US and its allies look to put the Greenland issue behind them, a great deal of uncertainty remains between Washington and its NATO partners, and this was on full display recently as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for Canada and the EU to move beyond their existing free trade agreement and create an “Alliance for the Future.” Charles Kupchan, Eleni Varvitsioti, and Dimitris Vayanos join Thanos Davelis this week as we take a closer look at all of these developments.  A little more info on our guests: Charles Kupchan is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University in the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Government. Eleni Varvitsioti is the Financial Times correspondent for Greece and Cyprus. Dimitris Vayanos is a Professor of Finance at the London School of Economics, co-editor of the book "Beyond Austerity: Reforming the Greek Economy”, and member of the Pissarides Commission which developed a growth plan for Greece in 2020. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

This week we’re traveling around the region, moving from the Red Sea to the Balkans. While the Iran war has disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s attention shifted to another major global chokepoint at the mouth of the Red Sea this past week, the Bab-el Mandeb Strait, as Iran-backed Houthi rebels tighten their grip over this strategic maritime route and threaten Saudi Arabia's oil exports. With the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el Mandeb Strait under threat, the world is bracing for a potential squeeze on oil prices, while the US appears to be sitting this one out, so far declining to intervene on Saudi Arabia’s behalf. The Houthi attacks are also the first test for the new Mecca Agreement, the defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.  While all eyes are on the Red Sea, tensions have been quietly brewing in the Aegean, where Turkey is once again  ramping up its provocations. We’ve seen Turkey engage in new airspace violations, provoke with the announcement of controversial marine parks, slam Greece’s recent defense deal with Israel as an attempt to “encircle” Turkey, and this week Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan absurdly called Greece’s defense of its Aegean islands a “threat”. Looking to Greece’s north, the Western Balkans are coming under the spotlight again after Serbia’s President Alexandar Vucic, who has been in power as ‌president or prime minister for 12 years, dissolved parliament and called for snap elections in October. Serbia has been rocked by student-led protests and political turmoil over the last two years, and demands for accountability and change are widespread.  This is also raising questions about the EU’s commitment to fully integrate the Western Balkans, an effort that has lost momentum over the past years. Could this be an opportunity to use its leverage to promote reform and the resolution of bilateral issues? Some experts think it may be. Aaron David Miller, Constantinos Filis, and James Ker-Lindsay join Thanos Davelis this week as we look into all of these developments, exploring what they mean for Greece and the wider region. A little more info on our guests: Aaron David Miller is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and expert on the Middle East. Constantinos Filis is an associate professor at the American College of Greece and director of its Institute of Global Affairs. Professor James Ker-Lindsay is an expert on the EU, the Balkans, and Southeast Europe. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stepped up to the podium at the Thessaloniki International Fair last Saturday to lay out his government’s economic agenda for the upcoming year in a speech that essentially set the stage for national elections in 2027. Aside from presenting a 2.2-billion-euro package for next year, he also laid out a roadmap to 2030 that includes reducing unemployment, raising the average salary and the minimum wage, and maintaining economic growth, all while drawing a clear line in the sand when it comes to the political and geopolitical dilemmas he believes will shape the upcoming election. With Greece gearing up for elections, Europe’s eyes locked in on Germany, where the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, dominated a crucial state election on Sunday, marking the first time since 1949 that a far-right party has won a state election. The result has many wondering if Germany's political center can still isolate the far right, while broader questions are emerging about what this could mean for Europe. Is this a harbinger of further far-right victories on a continent that’s facing a number of challenges ranging from the war in Ukraine to the economy and inflation? Shifting us back to the Eastern Mediterranean, having wrapped up his speech at TIF, Prime Minister Mitsotakis traveled to Egypt, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, sending a strong message not only about the state of Greek-Egyptian ties, but also about the three countries’ commitment to regional cooperation. The meetings took place against the backdrop of broader regional developments, including the Mecca Agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Nick Malkoutzis, Yiannis Mouzakis, Dr. Markus Ziener, and Vassilis Nedos join Thanos Davelis on this week’s episode of The Greek Current with insights on all of these developments. A little more info on our guests: Nick Malkoutzis and Yiannis Mouzakis are the co-founders of Macropolis.gr. Dr. Markus Ziener is a professor of journalism and Visiting Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund. Vassilis Nedos is Kathimeirni’s diplomatic and defense editor. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

On Monday Greek and Israeli officials met in Tel Aviv to sign the largest bilateral defense contract between the two countries, a deal worth just over €3 billion that will see the implementation of the Achilles Shield, Greece’s first multi-domain defence dome set to cover all of Greece’s territory. It’s important to note that this agreement also signals Greece’s intent to bolster its own defense industry, a key priority for Athens, with at least 19 Greek companies already involved in the deal and accounting for more than €750 million of the program. Aside from deepening ties on the defense front, this deal builds on a number of key diplomatic initiatives over the past decade that have brought the two countries closer together, and is seen as part of a wider arc of cooperation that ties into initiatives like the 3+1 with Cyprus and the US and IMEC. As the Achilles Shield takes shape, Turkey is ratcheting up tensions in the region, locking horns with Israel over Syria. This Israel-Turkey rivalry is escalating amid profound changes that seem to signal the unraveling of the old US led order in the Middle East, and amid growing concerns in Athens that Ankara could be taking Greek-Turkish ties into a new period of heightened tensions. Developments on the geopolitical side are heating up just as Greece is beginning to take stock of another summer holiday season that could break new records. While many will focus on these record breaking numbers, Kathimerini took a different approach recently, choosing to look back at the early days of tourism in Greece and the decades-long debates that have followed about the value of tourism for the country. John Psaropoulos, Sinan Ciddi, Steven Cook, Alexia Kalaitzi, and Erini Karamouzi join me this week as we explore these issues. A little more info on our guests: John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist, Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe, and publisher of Hellenica on Substack. Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and director of its Turkey program. Steven Cook is the  Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Alexia Kalaitzi is an award-winning journalist and features reporter for Kathimerini. Dr. Eirini Karamouzi is a professor of contemporary European history at The American College of Greece and an associate professor of contemporary history at the University of Sheffield in the UK. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

A week ago the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement. The new defense pact has many in the region and in Washington scratching their heads, wondering what its goals are, whether it will trigger regional realignment, and what new risks it raises in an already volatile region where we’ve seen geopolitical rivalries deepen - whether it’s Pakistan’s rivalry with India, Saudi Arabia’s relations with the UAE, or Turkey’s continued provocations and threats against Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Beyond the security dimensions of this pact, the economic questions it raises may be more important. This new pact is increasingly seen as undermining US supported projects in which both Greece and Cyprus have invested politically, notably the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).  This comes at a time when Congress is looking to bolster the Eastern Mediterranean’s role as a strategic link between India, the Middle East, and Europe. Just this week, a bipartisan group of Congressmen once again stressed the importance of IMEC for US interests in the region, emphasizing the significance of projects like the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI). Beyond Congress, we saw a major development when it came to the GSI earlier this month as months of negotiations between Athens and Paris wrapped up with the French investment group Meridiam acquiring a majority stake in the project. Athens hopes the deal will give both a financial and diplomatic boost to the GSI, which has seen Turkey try to obstruct its progress. These latest moves in the Eastern Mediterranean once again remind us why the region remains critical for global developments, and, more importantly, for US interests. This is a story that we’ve seen time and again, and as we celebrate America’s 250 anniversary, we can’t ignore the integral role the Mediterranean has played in shaping this story. Experts Jonathan Schanzer, Vassilis Nedos, and Ian Lesser join Thanos Davelis as we break down all of these issues. A little more info on our guests: Jonathan Schanzer is executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Vassilis Nedos is Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor. Ian Lesser is a Distinguished Fellow and Advisor to the president at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and a Senior Fellow at the Policy Center for the New South. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

Europe and Greece are once again under pressure, as crises largely outside their control have left many on the continent feeling exposed. This summer we have seen sweltering heatwaves, unprecedented wildfires, and a sudden migration crisis at Spain’s border. After facing extended heatwaves last month, fires displaced more than 300,000 people in France and Spain, while firefighters in Greece tragically perished battling fires that have destroyed homes, habitats, and left a landscape covered in ash. In Greece’s case, despite spending large sums on the latest firefighting aircraft and technology over the past years, and civil society and journalists having tools like “FireWatch” at their disposal, we seem to be having similar conversations every year about what we need to do to better prepare and protect Greece's environment. As the continent faced these devastating fires, another crisis broke out on its southwestern shores as tens of thousands of migrants sought to cross into Spain from Morocco. Many are blaming either Morocco for weaponizing migrants, Europe for lacking solidarity, or Spain's government for its migration policies. Prime Minister Mitsotakis even penned an op-ed in Politico making the case that the EU needs new tools to fight back against weaponized migration. As Europe deals with these challenges, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has kept Greek shipping in the spotlight, as even this week Greek-owned ships were targeted. This gives us a chance to dig into part two of our deep dive into the story of Greek shipping this week. Professor Costas Synolakis, Nikos Efstathiou, Thanasis Troboukis, Aggeliki Dimitriadi, and John Psaropoulos join Thanos Davelis as we give you an inside look at all these developments. A little more info on our guests: Prof. Costas Synolakis is a preeminent authority on the impact of natural hazards. Nikos Efstathiou is the editor in chief of WIRED Greece. Thanasis Troboukis is a journalist and the founder of the platform Fire Watch. Aggeliki Dimitriadi is and independent researcher and expert on issues of migration. John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist, Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe, and publisher of Hellenica on Substack. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

With the summer season in full swing, it’s not just vacations, the islands, and pristine beaches that are top of mind for Greeks. Global uncertainty, crises in the Middle East, a cost of living crisis, and the specter of touristification remain key concerns, and tackling these challenges is going to be tricky as Greece inches toward national elections. The economy is obviously at the heart of many discussions, and while Greece is on a much stronger financial footing today than in the previous decade, it will still need to move carefully if it’s going to weather the twin storms of global uncertainty and political changes at home. That’s the focus of the Greek government as Prime Minister Mitsotakis engages with voters across the country and prepares an economic package for the Thessaloniki International Fair in September, one that he hopes will boost his party’s chances in the elections. A key element of this discussion is also inevitably going to be whether Greece’s key industries - tourism and shipping - can continue to serve as drivers of economic growth. When it comes to tourism, Greece has seen record numbers of visitors over the years. This success, however, is also raising important concerns about over-tourism, even on more remote Cycladic islands like Amorgos. When it comes to shipping, Greece’s global position is unquestionable, and Greek ships are critical for the global economy. Much of this success comes down to a long tradition of seamanship, but also to a unique development in the 20th century involving the US in the wake of World War II.  Thanos Davelis digs into all of these issues and stories this week with experts Wolfango Piccoli, Nick Malkoutzis, Alia Malek, and John Psaropoulos. A little more info on our guests: Wolfango Piccoli is the head of geopolitics at the London-based CEO and board advisory firm Consello. Nick Malkoutzis is the co-founder of Macropolis.gr. Alia Malek is an author and journalist whose story "Breaking Ground: A road, a port, and the specter of touristification on the small Greek island of Amorgos" was recently published. John Psaropoulos is an independent journalist, Al Jazeera's correspondent in southeast Europe, and publisher of Hellenica on Substack. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

On July 20th we marked 52 years since phase one of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. For 52 years, Turkey has never been held accountable for this illegal invasion and occupation, for the division it imposed on the island, or for the lives and communities it shattered.  Today, despite international condemnation, UN resolutions, and calls for negotiations, the Cyprus issue remains one of the world's longest-running unresolved challenges. While progress toward a solution has been elusive over the last five decades, reports indicate there is a new effort afoot to revive peace talks as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres prepares to visit Cyprus in the coming days. Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus was also part of the discussion at the European Parliament this month, as the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the impact of Turkey’s 1974 invasion on Cypriot women and girls. This is seen as an important step acknowledging Cypriot women’s experiences of violence during the invasion, including sexual violence, that can hopefully open the door for survivors to speak and be heard openly and safely. The Cyprus invasion isn’t just an open wound for the island, but for the Greek diaspora. 1974 was a major turning point, especially in the US, as Greek-Americans mobilized across the country, becoming politically active and advocating in Washington, DC for justice.  Andrew Novo, Harris Georgiades, Natalie Alkiviadou, and Alexander Kitroeff join Thanos Davelis as we look into both phases of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974, whether we could be seeing a new push from the UN for talks, the importance of the European Parliament’s resolution on the impact of Turkey’s invasion on Cypriot women, and how the Cyprus invasion mobilized the Greek American community. A little more info on our guests: Andrew Novo is a professor of strategic studies at the National Defense University and adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service and Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Harris Georgiades is Chairman of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of Cyprus’ Parliament, Chairman of the “Clerides Institute”, and a former Minister of Finance. Dr. Natalie Alkiviadou is a Senior Research Fellow at the Future of Free Speech project at Vanderbilt University. Alexander Kotroeff is a professor of history with an expertise in Greece and the diaspora. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey hit the big screen this week. Whether you are a fan of Nolan’s work or not, the reactions and debates we’ve seen across the board remind us of Homer’s immortal appeal, and why the story of Odysseus’ return to Ithaca has captivated audiences around the world for three millennia. As Daniel Mendelsohn wrote recently, “The Odyssey is a remarkably contemporary story not only because of its hero, but because of the nature of the world around him..” a “postwar world where the old certainties have disappeared.” Those watching current events unfold may have a similar feeling these days.  With the ceasefire with Iran breaking down, we’re left with a good amount of uncertainty over what comes next. This is true for the Strait of Hormuz, for the Gulf, and by extension for the Eastern Mediterranean. Bringing us to Greece, this uncertainty is playing out on the political scene, where debates about early elections are picking up steam, while SYRIZA, which was once in government, has been in free fall over the last years. A new round of resignations this week has many pondering if the party has completed its historical cycle. In the spirit of Odysseus’ travels across the Mediterranean, we’re also heading to Turkey, where Ankara and Cairo took steps to deepen their ties when it comes to their defense cooperation and the defense industry. Daniel Mendelsohn, Elisa Catalano Ewers, Nikos Konstantaras, and Vassilis Nedos join Thanos Davelis as we look into the timeless appeal of The Odyssey, the collapse of the ceasefire with Iran and its wider ramifications, the lessons from SYRIZA’s rise and fall, and the rapprochement between Turkey and Egypt. A little more info on our guests: Daniel Mendelsohn is the author of “An Odyssey: A Father, a Son, and an Epic”,  whose translation of "The Odyssey” was published in paperback this spring. Elisa Catalano Ewers is a Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Nikos Konstandaras is a columnist with Kathimerini. Vassilis Nedos is Kathimerini's diplomatic and defense editor. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

President Trump caused a stir this week at the NATO summit as he praised the host, Turkish President Erdogan, and ⁠said he was willing to lift sanctions on Turkey and sell Ankara F-35 fighter jets.  These comments saw an immediate reaction on Capitol Hill as members of Congress urged House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to be prepared to use every legislative tool available to prevent Turkey’s reinstatement into the F-35 program, reminding them that US law prohibits the transfer of F-35s to Turkey unless Ankara no longer possesses the Russian S-400 system.  In the meantime, new reports emerged on Friday that a deal could be taking shape that would see Turkey transfer its S-400 missiles ​to an unnamed Gulf country in order to convince Washington to lift sanctions and pave the way for its re-entry into the F-35 program. F-35s were not the only item on the NATO summit agenda making headlines. As reporters on the ground have noted, NATO leaders were also making quiet progress on a new kind of NATO that will see them take on more and more responsibility for the defense of Europe. Something that unfortunately, but predictably, did not receive the attention it deserves as world leaders gathered in Ankara was Turkey’s alarming human rights record. Endy Zemenides, Steven Erlanger, Steven Cook, and Tyler Stapleton join Thanos Davelis this week as we explore the main takeaways from the NATO summit in Ankara, break down President Trump’s comments on selling F-35s to Turkey, discuss Western hypocrisy when it comes to human rights in Turkey, and look at the latest reports that a deal could be in play over the S400s. A little more info on our guests: Endy Zemenides is HALC's Executive Director. Steven Erlanger is the chief diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times covering Europe. Steven Cook is the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Tyler Stapleton is the senior director of government relations at FDD Action. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

In a few days Turkey will play host to NATO’s leaders for a high-stakes summit that some anticipate could be historic. The two main protagonists at the summit will be President Trump, who has consistently slammed NATO since his return to office, and Turkish President Erdogan, who is likely to use this summit to present himself as an indispensable ally and attempt to legitimize his harsh crackdown on political dissent. In the buildup to the summit we’ve seen President Trump approve a $700 million arms sale to Turkey of fighter jet engines, a move that’s seen as a “gift” to Erdogan. Vice President JD Vance has also raised eyebrows calling for a legal review of whether the conditions exist for a future transfer of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara. Both moves have caused a stir in Congress, and a joint resolution of disapproval was introduced in the House looking to block the sale of jet engines. In the buildup to the summit we’ve also seen reports that Turkey is planning to allow the reopening, after more than 50 years, of Halki Theological seminary. The reports follow a meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Turkey’s Erdogan, and it is expected that the issue will feature during President Trump’s meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the summit. Looking beyond this upcoming summit, this past month also marked 10 years since voters in the UK voted for Brexit. Brexit and Grexit - which was something many thought could be a possibility at the height of the financial crisis in Greece - had dominated the headlines at the time. Today, as the UK prepares for its seventh prime minister in 10 years, the trajectories of both countries couldn’t be starker.  Aaron Stein, Ino Afentouli, Elizabeth Prodromou, and Simon Nixon join Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at the stakes ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump’s move to sell fighter jet engines to Turkey, reports that Halki seminary could reopen, and the lessons from Greece ten years after Brexit.  A little more info on our guests: Aaron Stein is the President of the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Ino Afentouli is a Senior Policy Advisor and Head of the Observatory of Geopolitics and Diplomacy at ELIAMEP. Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou is an expert on religious freedom issues and cultural heritage and a former vice chair and commissioner of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. Simon Nixon is an independent journalist, Kathimerini columnist, and the publisher of the Wealth of Nations newsletter. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.

This week marked 30 years since Andreas Papandreou, the founder and longtime leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement - PASOK, passed away, and Greeks are taking this opportunity to reassess his legacy. Consistently ranked among the most influential leaders of the post-junta era in Greece, Papandreou left his mark on Greek politics and society. Supporters will point to a charismatic leader who gave voice to the “unprivileged”, while his opponents slam him as a populist whose decisions continue to weigh on Greece. Regardless of where one falls on this spectrum, it’s undeniable that his impact on the country was profound.  Harris Mylonas, Kostis Kornetis, Alan Makovsky, and Lambrini Rori join Thanos Davelis as we dig into Andreas Papandreou’s legacy, exploring what brought him to power, how he reshaped Greece’s political culture after the collapse of the dictatorship, his controversial approach to diplomacy and how this impacted US-Greece relations, and his lasting legacy in Greek politics today. A little more info on our guests: Harris Mylonas is a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University’s Elliott School and the producer of the documentary “Searching for Andreas”. Kostis Kornetis is an assistant professor of contemporary history at the Autonomous University of Madrid, a lead historian at Greece’s National Research Institute, and author of the books A Collective Biography of Southern European Democratization and Children of the Dictatorship. Alan Makovsky is a senior fellow for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress who worked in the State Department from 1983 to 1994, where he covered southern Europe, including Greece, at the height of the Papandreou era. Lambrini Rori is an assistant professor of political analysis at the University of Athens. You can support The Greek Current by joining HALC as a member here.