Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to visit Lebanon in the coming days, an important diplomatic move that underscores Greece’s commitment to fostering stability and security in the region. It would also make Mitsotakis the first EU leader - as Kathimerini notes - to visit Lebanon since a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hezbollah. Steven Howard, the Director of Policy and Outreach at the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL), joins Thanos Davelis ahead of this visit to look at the current situation on the ground in Lebanon, what to expect from the new US administration here, and how Greece and Cyprus can be helpful as we consider Lebanon’s future. 

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Mitsotakis’ Beirut visit signals intent

PM Mitsotakis postpones Lebanon visit due to aircraft malfunction

Trump picks Massad Boulos to serve as adviser on Arab, Middle Eastern affairs

Exclusive: Blinken wants to give successor Rubio the 'strongest hand' possible

Christodoulides, Trump reaffirm commitment for strengthened Cyprus-US ties

New SYRIZA leader aims for party overhaul

While Greece and Turkey’s foreign ministers are working to lay the groundwork for a key summit between Prime Minister Mitsotakis and President Erdogan early next year, there are growing concerns that progress in resolving differences in the Aegean Sea is proving all but impossible. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition, joins Thanos Davelis for a look at the ongoing Greek-Turkish dialogue, why achieving real progress in resolving differences remains elusive, and what to expect amid efforts to maintain the relative calm we’ve seen in the Aegean. 

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Greece-Turkey dialogue is alive, but barely

Prime ministerial intentions and Greek-Turkish ties

Athens, Ankara agree to disagree but keep talking

Cyprus’ new air defense system launched, Greece to follow

Mitsotakis holds first meeting with Androulakis as main opposition leader

Political consensus hidden in legislative nuances

Ex-German chancellor Angela Merkel’s memoir was recently released, and many are racing to see what she has chosen to reveal about key moments and players from Europe’s recent past - from the financial crisis to migration and the pandemic. Naturally, Greece is at the heart of a number of these developments. Xenia Kounalaki, a journalist, columnist, and foreign editor at Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis for a deep dive into Merkel’s revelations, including her handling of the Greek financial crisis and the migration crisis, her encounters with Greece’s leaders, and more.

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Η Μέρκελ θυμάται: Η σιωπή του ΓΑΠ και το χαμόγελο του Τσίπρα

Freedom by Angela Merkel review – her lips are sealed

Merkel looks back on Greek crisis in new memoirs

Greece bullish on Parthenon Marbles after Mitsotakis-Starmer meeting

Rebel offensive boosts Turkey’s influence in Syria

In a lightning offensive Syrian rebels seized Aleppo and are threatening other regime-held territories in the country. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s closest allies, Russia and Iran, pledged unconditional support to his government on Monday, while a number of other countries invested in Syria - including Turkey, Israel and the US - are watching developments closely. Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of the recent book The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East, joins Thanos Davelis to look at this new cycle of violence and instability and break down what it means for the region.

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What Syria’s Revived Civil War Means for the Region

Syria's rebel offensive is astonishing - but don't write off Assad

Greek Current Cafe featuring Steven Cook, Michael Rubin, Jonathan Schanzer, and Endy Zemenides

Foreign workers urgently needed

Talks over return of Parthenon marbles to Athens are ‘well advanced’

Developments over the past few months in Greece have seen SYRIZA lose its position as the main opposition in parliament to PASOK in the wake of leadership elections in both parties, the creation of a new political party on the left, and the ouster of a former prime minister from New Democracy. At the same time, the ripple effects of the US election are also being felt in Greek politics - as in the rest of Europe. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what to expect in this new political landscape.

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Assessing Greece’s new political landscape

Dominoes waiting for a push

Greece to train Ukrainian pilots

Cyprus offers to assist with Lebanon ceasefire

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire begins after year of conflict

The launch of a strategic dialogue between Cyprus and the US last month was quickly followed up by another historic development: President Christodoulides’ visit to the White House. With US-Cyprus ties deepening at a rapid pace, this was a chance for Christodoulides to present his strategic vision for Cyprus, including, as reports indicate, the potential future integration of Cyprus into NATO. Lena Argiri, the Washington, DC correspondent for ERT - the Greek Public Broadcasting Company - and Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this plan to institutionalize Cyprus’ relationship with NATO, a potentially transformative opportunity for both Cyprus and the whole region.

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Nicosia keeping its eye on NATO prize

EU prolongs Turkey oil-related sanctions

2025 budget to support incomes against inflation, PM says

Earlier this month we saw a mini crisis break out in the southern Aegean as Turkey deployed four frigates near the Greek islands of Kasos and Karpathos thinking that an Italian ship - which had been at the center of a 40-hour crisis last July - was in the area conducting research for the future deployment of underwater cables linking Greece and Cyprus. While this was ultimately a misunderstanding, it raises questions about relations between Greece and Turkey and the future of vital projects like the Great Sea Interconnector. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis.

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Turkey deploys warships over misunderstanding

Ankara irked by European maritime map

Το κόστος των καθυστερήσεων για τη διασύνδεση Ελλάδας – Κύπρου

Famellos elected SYRIZA leader

Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures

This week Greece saw workers in the public and the private sector go on strike, demanding better wages in the face of rising costs across the board. This comes despite Greece’s economic success story, whether it's achieving investment grade or outperforming its Eurozone partners, and as the government announced it is set to make another early repayment of €5 billion of bailout-era loans. Nikos Vettas, the general director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE) and a professor at the Athens University of Economics and Business, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the state of the economy - from the cost of living crisis and wages to debt reduction.

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Thousands in Greece strike to protest soaring living costs

Greece to repay chunk of bailout debt early

New budget includes support measures over 1 bln euros

PASOK becomes main opposition after leftist party collapse

Ankara irked by European maritime map

On November 17th Greeks commemorated the 51st anniversary of the Polytechnic uprising - a seminal moment that effectively delivered the first real blow to the military dictatorship, or the junta, that was ruling Greece. While the story of the uprising itself is well known, the Greek diaspora around the world also played an important role in the fight against the junta. Alexander Kitroeff, a professor of history with an expertise on the Greek diaspora experience, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the Polytechnic uprising and the diaspora’s key role in the broader story of restoring democracy to Greece.

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The Athens Polytechnic uprising, a milestone of peaceful resistance not to be forgotten

Amazon invests in three wind farms in Greece

Open Doors 2024: Greece Receives Record Number of U.S. Students

On Monday the US warned Turkey against hosting Hamas leadership after reports emerged that some Hamas leaders had moved to Turkey from Qatar, with State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller saying Washington will make it clear to Ankara that there can be no more business as usual with Hamas. Sinan Ciddi, a non-resident senior fellow at FDD and an expert on Turkish politics, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest warning from Washington, and look at how the Hamas issue is likely to impact US-Turkey ties as the Trump administration prepares to take over in January.

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US warns Turkey against hosting Hamas leaders

Turkey Shouldn’t Celebrate a Donald Trump Victory Just Yet

Greece faces general strike as workers protest cost of living squeeze

Ships docked, transport services disrupted as Greeks walk out for higher pay

Greece to repay chunk of bailout debt early