The Eastern Mediterranean is experiencing a rapid geopolitical realignment, which makes a strategic reset of Greek foreign policy imperative. Greece can no longer be confined to a passive role or trapped in the endless recycling of Greek–Turkish disputes.
The world around us is changing, and the question is not whether we will change as well, but how—and in which direction.
The security environment is shifting fundamentally: the return of Donald Trump to the global stage, the new phase of the Russo-Ukrainian war, uncertainty in the Middle East, and the European Union’s inability to articulate a unified foreign and defense policy.
Europe is investing €850 billion in defense without a collective strategy, letting fragmentation negate its own dynamism. At the same time, Greece is rolling out procurement programs totaling a daunting €25 billion, without yet clarifying what the real threat is and what their strategic rationale should be.
This planning deficit cannot be addressed with fiery statements or showy gestures. Foreign policy requires strategic composure, foresight, and a realistic assessment of the environment. In the case of Turkey, analysis must separate rhetoric from actual intent. Ankara does not challenge the Greek character of the islands—at least not institutionally. Instead, it focuses on questions of sovereignty concerning maritime zones: the continental shelf, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and airspace. This is precisely where a clear distinction must be made between national sovereignty and sovereign rights—a fundamental but often misunderstood issue.
“In the continental shelf, the EEZ, and airspace, a clear distinction must be made between national sovereignty and sovereign rights—a fundamental but often misinterpreted issue.”
Rapprochement with Turkey, in this context, is not an act of concession. On the contrary, it is an act of strategic maturity. Beyond their differences, the two countries share interests: regional stability, energy cooperation, the management of migration flows, and the handling of hybrid threats.
They do not need to agree on everything to cooperate where necessity dictates. Above all, it is time to remove the casus belli from the table—a relic of 1995 that no longer serves anyone and stands as an obstacle to rapprochement and dialogue.
Within this redefinition, the Cyprus issue retains a central role. Cyprus is the natural point of convergence for geopolitical interests in the Eastern Mediterranean. An acceptable and viable solution would not only benefit the island’s two communities; it would also restore trust in the region, strengthen cooperation in the energy sector, and consolidate a new security framework.
National sovereignty, then, is safeguarded neither by passivity nor by slogan-laden rhetoric. It is secured through strategic thinking, an awareness of international realities, and by leveraging the opportunities of the present. Today, Greece has the opportunity to become a pillar of stability, inspire confidence, and elevate its standing as a serious and reliable interlocutor in the wider region.
The point is not whether the world is changing—because it is. The point is whether we will have the courage and the will to change as well, with a strategic plan, free of fears and with strong national self-confidence.