Prime Minister Mitsotakis announced his pick for President of Greece last week, selecting New Democracy veteran Kostas Tasoulas. The decision is not only indicative of the direction Mitsotakis is looking to move in 2025, but it also sets the stage for a new political battleground between New Democracy and PASOK. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis to help us read between the lines, breaking down what’s at stake for the government and PASOK, while looking at broader global trends - from potential tariffs to Ukraine - and how they could impact Greece.

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Presidential vote creates new battleground as ND and PASOK renew hostilities

As political landscape stabilizes, PASOK fears it may have hit its ceiling

Poll gives New Democracy 12-point lead

Christodoulides, Tatar fail to reach deal on new crossing points

Chevron expresses interest in Greek energy exploration

Since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, many have repeated the analysis that Turkey is “the winner” in Syria. Is this the case, however? Has Turkey really won anything yet? Developments on the ground indicate that this may not be the case. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why it might still be too early to celebrate an Erdogan win in Syria.

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Turkey Hasn’t Won Anything Yet in Syria

US officials to head to Cyprus to discuss defense upgrades, president says

‘Serving as US Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime,’ Tsunis says

In a move heralded as historic, President Joe Biden issued a presidential determination this week officially including Cyprus in three critical US defense programs. Cyprus hailed the decision allowing military sales, including arms, to the island as a milestone affirming the country’s role as a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. Lena Argiri, the DC correspondent for ERT - the Greek Public Broadcasting Company - and Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to look at this major development in US-Cyprus ties that paves the way for the incoming Trump administration to take this relationship to new heights.

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Cyprus included in three critical US defense programs

Greece has tapped 18 bln euros from EU’s Recovery Fund

PM marks shift, nominates House speaker as next president

As we approach inauguration day, one of President-elect Donald Trump’s closest allies, Elon Musk, has been using his social media platform X to openly support political parties like the far-right AfD in Germany ahead of the country’s election, or has called for an end to Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government in the UK. His posts are raising questions among key US allies, with many asking whether Musk is speaking for Trump. Ed Luce, the US national editor and columnist at the Financial Times, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Musk’s posts and the wider ramifications for America’s allies in Europe.

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

Musk’s war on America’s allies 

A New Age of American Interference in Europe

Cyprus included in three critical US defense programs

Greece makes strides in global fight against antisemitism, study finds

Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ visit to Saudi Arabia this week has put a spotlight on Greece’s strategy in the Middle East, coming about a week after a trilateral summit in Cairo with Egypt’s President Sisi and Cyprus’ President Christodoulides, and a month after a visit to Lebanon. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece’s engagement with the broader Middle East, from key players like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to countries like Lebanon that are looking to rebuild.

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Athens, Riyadh strengthen strategic ties

Greece, Egypt and Cyprus align on policy

Greek interest in Middle East deepening

Turkey’s Bahceli rehashes claims about Greece’s Dodecanese islands

Foreign Ministry: ‘Dodecanese islands status governed by the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty’

Mitsotakis calls on European Commission to move faster to reduce energy prices

All eyes are on Prime Minister Mitsotakis as Greeks wait to hear who he plans to nominate as Greece’s next president. While the position is a largely ceremonial one, who is selected will send a message across the political spectrum, and will likely set the tone for the remainder of Mitsotakis’ term as he will have to decide whether to appease his party’s base or pick a candidate with a broader appeal. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this story, breaking down the dilemma facing Mitsotakis and the message it sends about Greek politics. 

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All eyes on Greece’s presidential nomination

Cyprus could join Schengen this year, president says

EU bans ‘Turkaegean’ slogan following Greece’s appeal

As we approach the 51st dark anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus this year, there is a renewed push to locate and identify the remains of 951 missing Greek and Turkish Cypriots. To this day, the search continues for those lost during periods of inter-communal violence or - the large part - during Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this issue, which remains an open wound for all Cypriots.

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‘Oblivion cannot always be the choice’

Greece’s tourism hits record highs, offering optimism for 2025

Turkey’s Kurdish leaders meet jailed politician as the two sides inch toward peace

Lebanon has brought an end to a two year power vacuum with the election of Joseph Aoun, the country's army chief, as president. His candidacy was backed by several key players, including the US, France and Saudi Arabia. Together with the collapse of Assad in Syria and a weakened Hezbollah, there are many who hope this election could serve as the necessary spark to rebuild the war-torn Eastern Mediterranean country. Sean Mathews, a journalist for the Middle East Eye covering the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why this election is so important, and what challenges lie ahead for Lebanon and its new president. 

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Army chief elected Lebanon's president after years of deadlock

It’s time for Lebanon’s leaders to take responsibility for the country’s future

US dangles Saudi Arabia's cash to push candidate for Lebanon's presidency

Meloni hails ‘excellent’ Italy-Greece relations, announces February conference

Trump, Meloni and Greece’s moves

Kurdish-led SDF says civilians killed as Turkey strikes Syrian dam

While the world is waiting for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration this month, Turkey’s President Erdogan is saber rattling, making it clear that he intends to target the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) who have been critical in the fight against ISIS. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on Turkish politics, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Erdogan’s ambitions in Syria, what an attack on the SDF would mean for the anti-ISIS coalition, and what the dangers are if Washington fails to act. 

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Turkey Is Preparing to Invade Syria, Then Israel?

Trump can’t leave Syria to others

Cairo trilateral summit focuses on regional developments, energy and migration

New push to fight tax evasion, smuggling

As we approach President-elect Trump’s inauguration, many are trying to discern how both the incoming Trump administration and the new Congress that was just sworn in will deal with key foreign policy questions that will undoubtedly impact Greece and Cyprus. Endy Zemenides, HALC’s Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what to expect from the new Congress on the East Med, what to look out for as President-elect Trump looks to get his cabinet confirmed, and more.

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The Next Congress

Trump Imagines New Sphere of U.S. Influence Stretching from Panama to Greenland

The Political Logic of Trump’s International Threats

Europe’s power price divide hits southeastern economies

Turkey’s naval build-up has Hellenic Navy considering the purchase of more ships