In a move that no one could have seen coming a year ago, President Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa - formerly on Washington’s list of wanted terrorists - at the White House this week. Thanos Davelis is joined by Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Internat

Energy is at the heart of the US-Greece relationship these days, especially with a landmark offshore gas exploration deal with ExxonMobil and a 20-year LNG agreement with the US. Thanos Davelis is joined by Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, as we look at how energy is driving US-Greece relations forward, a

The election of Egypt’s Khaled El-Enany as the new Director General of UNESCO and the recent announcement from Prime Minister Mitsotakis that Greece and Egypt have worked to preserve the status of Saint Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai have put cultural heritage in the spotlight. Dr. Elizabeth P

This week President Erdogan said Turkey had entered a ‘new juncture’ in the Kurdish peace process, signalling he was open to the idea of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan addressing lawmakers. In another startling move, he also suggested that he was open to the release of the jailed Kurdish politici

Turkey has been expanding its diplomatic, economic, and security footprint in Africa over the past decade. A surge in arms sales is now raising alarms, as Turkish arms - primarily drones - end up in conflict zones and in the hands of unaccountable actors. William Doran, the co-author of the recent F

Turkey is eager to capitalize on its role in the Gaza ceasefire, and is now looking to have an active presence - even with troops on the ground - in a post-war Gaza. It seems President Trump also sees a role for Turkey here, something that is alarming Israel. Henri Barkey, an adjunct senior fellow f

An unlikely figure, Maria Karystianou, is at the heart of political speculation in Greece. Local media is filled with rumors that the mother of one of the victims of the deadly Tempe train crash and figurehead of a wave of protests that followed may enter politics, and polling shows she could draw i

Last week we looked into the US quest for energy dominance and what it means for Greece. This week energy is back on the agenda, as Greece plays host to top energy officials from the US, Cyprus, and Israel. These meetings also mark the first official appearance of US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle in

A little over 2 years ago, the October 7th attack by Hamas shifted the world’s attention away from the newly announced India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEEC, a project Greece and Cyprus are also vying to play a key role in. With the Israel-Gaza ceasefire in place, is it now time to re

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer just called Turkey’s purchase of 20 Eurofighter jets - a deal that has gotten a lot of attention - a “landmark moment.” This move comes as Turkey looks to fill gaps in its aging air-force, and as Ankara attempts to make up ground with countries like Greece and Isr

Energy has become a critical piece of the puzzle for the Trump administration as it looks to project strength abroad, and it seems Greece is on Washington’s radar. Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and director of its newly established Energy and Nationa

As we’ve seen time and time again in the past, the Greek diaspora has always played a key role in standing with Greece in its time of need. World War II was no exception. As Greeks delivered their famous “Ohi” - or “NO” to the Axis powers on October 28th, 1940, Greek-Americans also stepped up to the

Last week President Trump hit Russia’s biggest oil producers - Rosneft and Lukoil - with sanctions, a move many see as a major shift from the Trump administration that puts it on the same page as Europe when it comes to pressuring Moscow. Laurence Norman, the European reporter for The Wall Street Jo

The British Museum has once again stirred controversy with its latest “Pink Ball” dinner gala taking place in the hall housing the Parthenon Sculptures, a move that has elicited strong reactions from both Greece, cultural heritage experts, and leading advocates for the return of the Parthenon Sculpt

Earlier this month we saw Turkey issue a NAVTEX, or a navigational text message warning, for research in the Aegean Sea, a provocative move called out by Greece. This has once again put Turkey’s disregard for international law and contempt for Greece’s sovereignty in the spotlight. Elizabeth Samson,

Turkish Cypriots went to the polls in the occupied northern part of Cyprus this weekend, electing a reportedly moderate candidate in Tufan Erhurman. His landslide victory, unseating hard-line incumbent Ersin Tatar, has led to cautious optimism that talks on the reunification of Cyprus could resume.

An issue that’s been top of mind in Greece for some time now is the demographic crisis. This isn’t unique to Greece, however, as it’s a problem most of Europe is also looking for answers to. Jacob Funk Kirkegaard, a Senior Fellow at Bruegel and a non-resident Senior Fellow with the Peterson Institut

A few big headlines have come out of Brussels recently, including the presentation of the EU’s new "Pact for the Mediterranean", its executive body approving a 5-year defense road map that features plans for a “drone wall”, and  the debate about Turkey’s participation in the SAFE program. Alexandra

While celebrating the Gaza ceasefire agreement in Egypt, President Trump made a point to single out Turkey’s President Erdogan, thanking him for his role in bringing about this deal. Erdogan is now eager to leverage this praise in order to become a key player in shaping Gaza's future. Can he achieve

A recent report in the Financial Times has outlined how a state fund in Turkey has become one of the country’s largest business holdings, controlling over 1,000 companies. This comes in the wake of an anti-corruption drive that moved hundreds of private companies into government hands, raising the q

Greece’s government recently tabled its budget for 2026, a budget that foresees a jump in spending, growth for the economy, and a drop in Greece’s debt. Yiannis Mouzakis, the co-founder of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis as we dig into Greece’s budget, looking at some of the positive trends like

It’s safe to say President Macron has shown he is one of Europe’s most important leaders, but domestic challenges seem to be undercutting him on the global stage. Steven Erlanger, the chief diplomatic correspondent for The New York Times covering Europe, joins Thanos Davelis as we look to answer wha

World leaders - including Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Nikos Christodoulides - are meeting today in Egypt to cement a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and to help lay the foundations for broader regional stability. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s Englis

Last month Turkey's President Erdogan and his loyalists blasted Cyprus for its purchase of Israeli Barak MX air defense systems, claiming it was a threat to Turkey, all while Turkish media has announced Ankara plans to send more occupation troops to Cyprus. William Doran, the co-author of the recent