Türkiye and Greece have engaged in a moderate war of words in recent months. The two sides have occasionally taken steps that could translate into a greater conflict in the future, but they have generally favored maintaining good relations. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, however, appears to be reversing his earlier, warmer rhetoric. Mitsotakis emphasized Greece’s “inalienable right” to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean on Saturday, days after his country signed a historic defense deal with Türkiye’s archfoe, Israel. Experts say this newfound confidence could upset the relative calm.
Professor Ozan Örmeci, a political scientist and general coordinator of the International Political Academy (UPA), says Mitsotakis has, for some time, engaged in strategic moves to stir up a rift between Türkiye and the West. “He has been successful to some extent,” he told Daily Sabah on Monday. He said Greece had established a trilateral partnership with the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel and, at one point, sought closer ties with France. “Under Mitsotakis, Greece pursued an extensive armament program, whether it was Rafale jets from France, F-35 fighter jets from the United States or Eurofighter Typhoon jets from European countries,” Örmeci said. He said this newfound military strength, coupled with backing from Israel and the Israeli lobby, had led Mitsotakis to make the remarks about the islands.
