Mutual hostility is nothing new in Turkish-Greek relations. Acts of provocation, as well as outright #conflict, have long beset ties between the two states. However, as the #war in #Ukraine began, there were some indications that tensions between #Ankara and #Athens had eased. In the middle of March, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis journeyed to #Istanbul to meet face-to-face with Turkish President Recep Tayyip #Erdogan. The tone of the meeting, according to #media reports, was positive and constructive. Both leaders emphasized that the war to the north provided the basis for the visit. In a statement prepared by Erdogan’s communications directorate, it was agreed that “Turkey and #Greece have a special responsibility in the European #security architecture which has changed with #Russia’s attack on Ukraine.” Mitsotakis and Erdogan concurred that it was important for both countries to find avenues of cooperation and “focus on positive agendas” that benefited both nations.
Since the meeting in Istanbul, however, relations between Greece and #Turkey have deteriorated rapidly. Toward the end of April 2022, Athens decried what it characterized as an “unprecedented” number of airspace violations by armed Turkish aircraft over Greece’s Aegean islands. During an official visit to #Washington, Mitsotakis cited Turkey’s behavior in lobbying Congress to oppose the sale of F-16s to Ankara. Erdogan responded by stating that he no longer “recognizes” Greece’s prime minister, thus ending the possibility of future direct talks. More ominously, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu issued a statement accusing Athens of unlawfully “militarizing” its territories in the Aegean Sea. Should Greece refuse to “demilitarize” its Aegean islands, Cavusoglu warned that Greek sovereignty over its territories would be considered “debatable.”
https://warontherocks.com/2022/06/dogfight-over-the-aegean-turkish-greek-relations-in-light-of-ukraine/ #weapons #eu #cyprus #military #usa #france
