ATHENS – [ANA-MPA]
Greek Foreign Affairs Minister George Gerapetritis strongly reaffirmed the strategy of ‘calm waters’ with Türkiye during his address at the Kyklos Ideon think tank on May 18, but warned that if the neighboring country were to adopt the ‘Blue Homeland’ doctrine as law, it could lead to renewed tension in the Aegean.
Gerapetritis noted that Greek‑Turkish relations are at ‘a significant crossroads’ three years after the restart of dialogue in 2023. Although he did not officially comment on the ‘leaks and reports’ suggesting that legislation on the doctrine was pending, he clarified that any unilateral move by Türkiye would not be supported by International Law and ‘could potentially escalate tension’.
The Greek minister reiterated that the policy of de-escalation was not a sign of weakness but a strategic choice that provided Greece with the time to boost defense, global alliances, and its geopolitical influence. Over the past three years, the number of violations of air space over the Aegean and migration flows have dropped, while Athens moved ahead with maritime spatial planning, marine parks, and the further upgrading of its defense and diplomacy, particularly with Israel, the United States, the Gulf countries, and India.
Concerning the Ukrainian drone found on the Greek coast, he said the incident was ‘extremely serious.’ As he noted, it raised issues of security, freedom of navigation, and environmental risk, while warning that ‘the Mediterranean cannot serve as a center of operations.’ He added, however, that the incident would not alter Greece’s strategic decision to support Ukraine.
Among other issues, Gerapetritis said that Greece needs both Europe and the United States, as well as wider strategic collaborations, and called on Europe to ‘wake up’ to new geopolitical conditions. “Greece is first, Greece within Europe, and Greece as a strong element of the West”, he concluded.
