Greece, Turkey and Israel are entering election periods, fuelling regional volatility
The era of calm seas in southeastern Europe is coming to an end, as Greece, Turkey and Israel are increasingly drawn into a dangerous rivalry with unpredictable consequences, warn diplomats, analysts and intelligence officers.
On 7 December 2023, Greece and Turkey – long divided by maritime and territorial disputes – signed the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness, ushering in nearly three years of relative calm seas.
That era is now over, as Greece, Turkey and Israel head into increasingly charged political periods and regional tensions deepen.
Turkey accused Greece of using the period of calm to forge strong military alliances with Israel and Cyprus, which Ankara sees as a threat to its national security.
