The Greek Current

Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how social media is becoming the new battleground in Greece ahead of June's European elections, what’s at stake for Greece’s political leaders, and how this election is also taking on an international character.

Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why the rejection of the Annan plan 20 years ago needs to be revisited, and its historic significance reconsidered. We also look into other regional developments - from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ meeting with Turkish President Erdogan to the latest diplomatic crisis with North Macedonia.

North Macedonia’s new president, Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, has sparked a diplomatic crisis with Greece following her decision during her swearing in ceremony to refer to her country simply as “Macedonia” rather than the constitutional name “North Macedonia.” John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera’s Southeast Europe correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest diplomatic spat and its broader implications for Athens, Skopje, the Prespes Agreement, and the region.

Alexandra Voudouri, Kathimerini’s Brussels correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the rise of the far right, how radical-right forces are already influencing European policies, and what it means for the future direction of Europe.

Expert Henri Barkey joins Thanos Davelis to look at what we should expect from Turkey's President Erdogan both at home and abroad as he looks to regain the initiative following his party's sweeping defeat in the recent municipal elections.

Expert Tugba Tanyieri Erdemir joins Thanos Davelis to look at what the latest decision by Turkey's government to convert the monastery of Chora - a former Byzantine church and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Istanbul - in a mosque will mean for the site, and look at the message it sends on religious freedom, especially in light of the latest USCIRF report.

Over the past two years an area south of Greece’s Peloponnese had become a major location to circumvent sanctions against Russian oil exports. It looks like Greece has now found a way to disrupt these operations. Professor Kostas Ifantis joins Thanos Davelis to discuss what steps Greece is taking to block these oil transfers, examine the question of Greece’s territorial seas, and look ahead at the upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Turkish President Erdogan.

Last fall Greece joined the Three Seas Initiative, which brings together 13 EU countries located between the Baltic, Black, Adriatic, and now the Aegean Seas. Expert Ian Brzezinski, who has been following this initiative since it was founded, joins Thanos Davelis to break down why the Three Seas Initiative, which now includes Greece, is so important for the region.

Professor Alexander Kitroeff, one of the leading historians of the Greek-American experience, joins Thanos Davelis to talk about the American diner, its strong links to Greek immigrants, and whether the phenomenon of the Greek-American diner has a future today.

The Financial Times recently reported that Greece and some other EU countries have been under pressure to send more aid to Ukraine, specifically air defense systems. Constantinos Filis, the director of the Institute of Global Affairs and a professor of international relations at the American College of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to break down this story and look at the different ways Athens has supported and continues to support Kyiv.

Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum, joins Thanos Davelis to argue that it's time for the State Department to finally recognize Turkey’s presence in Cyprus as an occupation, a move that will only strengthen America’s position in the region.

The State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Ocean, Fisheries and Polar Affairs Dr. Mahlet Mesfin joins Thanos Davelis to look back at the key takeaways from the Our Ocean conference in Athens, and explore how protecting the oceans is a space where the US and Greece can expand their already strong ties.

Wolfango Piccoli, the co-founder of the risk analysis company Teneo, joins Thanos Davelis to look into why Turkish President Erdogan called off his upcoming May visit to the White House and what message it sends about the US-Turkey relationship and Ankara’s broader ties with the West.

Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Wednesday’s election in North Macedonia, and its broader implications for the country’s relations with its neighbors and its EU aspirations.

Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent covering major stories on the Middle East and North Africa, including Turkey, joins Thanos Davelis to get to the bottom of the rumors around whether Erdogan’s White House visit was cancelled or not.

With commemorations of the Armenian Genocide taking place across the world, there is a renewed fear that the lessons of “Never Again” have been forgotten following Azerbaijan’s attack on Nagorno Karabakh and its continued threats. Aram Hamparian, the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America, joins Thanos Davelis to talk about the threats facing Armenians in the Caucasus today, and to look at what steps the US can take to give meaning to the words “Never Again”.

Nikos Roussanoglou, a journalist with 23 years of experience at Kathimerini covering the economy, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what the new changes to Greece's Golden Visa scheme will mean for investors and for the government's effort to tackle the country’s housing crisis.

With investments in Greece on the rise, Michael Arghyrou, the head of the Council of Economic Advisors for Greece’s Finance Ministry, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how these investments are transforming Greece’s economy, and to bust some of the myths around investments in Greece.

Since emerging from its international bailouts and a decade-long economic crisis, the Greek economy is now surging. Despite the positive outlook, many Greeks are still struggling from the crisis. Nikos Vettas, the General Director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research and Professor of Economics at the Athens University of Economics and Business, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this economic rebound and explore the challenges ahead.

Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s defense and diplomatic editor, joins Thanos Davelis to explore Defense Minister Nikos Dendias' plan for a defense system for Greece similar to Israel's Iron Dome, discuss the view from Athens following Iran’s attack on Israel, and look at the key takeaways from the EU summit on Cyprus.

Thanos Davelis caught up with Larry Notheis, the Chief Deputy Director at the California Conservation Corps, on the sidelines of the “Our Ocean” conference in Athens to look at how the California Conservation Corps model can be applied in Greece, and how these partnerships can make a difference in protecting the oceans, preventing and fighting wildfires, and more.

The memoirs of former German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble were recently released in Germany. As expected, Greece features heavily. Xenia Kounalaki, a journalist and weekly columnist at Kathimerini, which acquired exclusive rights of publishing excerpts from the book in Greek, joins Thanos Davelis for an inside look into the Greek financial crisis through the lens of one of its main protagonists.

Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to recap the main takeaways from last week’s Delphi Economic Forum in Greece, where HALC had an important presence, leading discussions on the role of the diaspora, the importance of Cyprus, the Middle East post October 7th, and the future direction of American foreign policy.

Rich Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies with a deep expertise in sanctions policy who previously served on the White House NSC, joins Thanos Davelis to look at why we need to be paying attention to this new flotilla set to depart Turkey for Gaza, which has the potential to spark a diplomatic crisis.

Nadine Maenza, the President of the IRF Secretariat, a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center, and the previous chair of USCIRF, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what a resurgent ISIS means for the region, particularly in the autonomous zone in north east Syria, and break down why we need to put the spotlight on Turkey’s role in this ISIS comeback.

Giorgos Lialios, a journalist at Kathimerini covering issues related to the environment, joins Thanos Davelis to talk about the new marine parks Greece is creating, look into the upcoming Our Oceans Conference, and more.

Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to look at why Turkish President Erdogan is taking steps to restrict exports to Israel now, and break down how this fits into the broader post-election narrative after the oppositions sweeping victory on March 31st.

What can Thucydides tell us about our world today? Professor Andrew Novo, a scholar of ancient and modern Mediterranean history and strategic studies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the lessons we should take away from Thucydides in a new era of great power politics.

Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the migration crisis unfolding in Cyprus, and look at how it is impacting the agenda ahead of the European elections.

With wildfires already breaking out in Greece, Derek Gatopoulos, a correspondent for the Associated Press who has been covering news in Greece for more than 25 years, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how Greece is looking to overhaul its wildfire response in preparation for this summer’s wildfire season.

Dr. Georgios Samaras, an assistant professor of public policy at King’s College London, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the rise of Greek Solution and the far right in Greece, breaking down what this could mean for Greek politics ahead of European elections in June.

Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to look into a special visa program Greece launched for Turkish visitors who arrive on Greece’s islands, and explore where it fits into ongoing efforts to maintain calm in the Aegean.

Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent covering major stories on the Middle East and North Africa, including Turkey, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the results from Sunday’s municipal elections in Turkey, what this historic defeat means for Erdogan, and look at whether the opposition’s resurgence can now reshape Turkey’s national politics.

Alan Makovsky, veteran Turkey analyst and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, joins Thanos Davelis to examine how Turkish President Erdogan finally snagged an invite to the White House, and look into what message this move sends about the Biden administration’s approach to Turkey in the wake of the Sweden NATO saga.

Sean Mathews, a Greece based journalist covering the broader region, and George Manginis, the academic director at the Benaki Museum, join Thanos Davelis to break down how the search for an antique can give us insight into Thessaloniki's rich history, and look at how current efforts to shine a light on the city's past cosmopolitanism are increasingly important in a changing region.

David Horner, the President of the American College of Greece, the oldest and largest US accredited college or university in Europe, joins Thanos Davelis to share his perspectives on the latest bill passed by Greek parliament on higher education and private universities and the potential for Greece to serve as a global educational hub.

Alexis Papachelas, Kathimerini’s Editor in Chief, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss why this year's 50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece, or the Metapolitefsi, is important not just for understanding the country’s history, but also to learn from its lessons, especially at a time when we see democracy under threat across the world.

Professor Roderick Beaton, a historian and author of the books Byron’s War: Romantic Rebellion, Greek Revolution, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation, and The Greeks: A Global History, joins Thanos Davelis to celebrate Greek independence day by looking into Lord Byron’s important contributions to the Greek cause and his wider legacy 200 years after his death for the Greek cause.

This past week Washington’s attention has been on Cyprus and the humanitarian corridor from Gaza, from President Biden’s letter thanking President Christodoulides, to the National Security Council’s chief of staff visiting Cyprus. Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest on these key developements on Cyprus, and provides a look ahead at the upcoming Greek Independence Day celebrations.

Michael Rubin, the director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Thanos Davelis to explain why NATO’s 50 year tolerance of Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus weakens its case on Ukraine.

Constantinos Filis, the Director of the Institute of Global Affairs and an associate professor of international relations at the American College of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Erdogan’s latest outbursts in which he stated that if Turkish troops hadn’t stopped in 1974, then all of Cyprus would be Turkish today.

Wolfango Piccoli, the co-founder of risk analysis company Teneo, joins Thanos Davelis to look at how the upcoming municipal elections are impacting Turkey’s economic policies, and whether we should expect a shift in policy from Turkish President Erdogan following the elections.

Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the rise of the far right and the nationalist Greek Solution, and what it could mean for Prime Minister Mitsotakis, New Democracy, and Greece’s broader political scene ahead of European elections in a few months.

Ayla Jean Yackley, an Istanbul-based journalist covering Turkey with stories in The Financial Times, Politico, and other major outlets, joins Thanos Davelis to look at why we should be paying attention to Turkey’s upcoming elections, which could be critical for the country’s politics - from the ruling party to the opposition.

Katerina Sokou, who holds the research fellowship at ELIAMEP on “Greek-American Relations” and who covered the Greek crisis from Washington, DC as a correspondent for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how the Greek debt crisis provides a case study into the Obama foreign policy doctrine - the focus of her recent in-depth report for ELIAMEP - and underscores Europe’s continuing importance for Washington, DC.

Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the €7.4 billion aid package Egypt is set to receive from the EU to not only shore up the country’s economy, but also curb migration. We look at why the deal is vital for Egypt, Europe, and Greece, and also explore the broader debate around migration and asylum, that also focuses on the urgent need for migrants for the Greek and European economies.

The European Commission is set to recommend that the EU open accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite lingering ethnic divisions in the Western Balkan country. At the same time, US Special Representative to the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar is also in the region. Prof. James Ker-Lindsay, who has written extensively on the EU, the Balkans, and Southeast Europe, joins Thanos Davelis to break down these latest developments.

Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the recent visits to the US by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and look at whether these signal what some are calling a new momentum in US-Turkey ties in the wake of the Sweden NATO saga.

Konstantinos Letymbiotis, the Government Spokesperson of the Republic of Cyprus, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the humanitarian sea corridor to Gaza and Cyprus’ central role in it.

On Wednesday a Russian missile struck a few hundred meters from where Greece’s Prime Minister Mitsotakis was meeting with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy. Ambassador Spiros Lambridis, Greece’s special envoy for Ukraine, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this incident, the significance of Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ recent visit to Ukraine, and look into Greece’s overall efforts to support Kyiv.

Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the Albanian court's decision to sentence Fredi Beleri to 2 years in prison, and look at what this decision - which is widely seen as political - tells us about the direction Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama is taking the country, from the rule of law to its relations with Greece.

Josh Birenbaum, the deputy director of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at where China's Belt and Road Initiative is today, why Europe and Washington should still be concerned about it, and what tools are available to counter Beijing - from the DFC to the proposed IMEC corridor.

In 2020 Turkey’s government changed the status of Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque. Now, Ankara is looking to repeat this with another important UNESCO World Heritage site, Chora Church. Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou joins Thanos Davelis to look at why preserving Chora Church is important, and break down how the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom can take action - including visiting Turkey and the occupied territories of Cyprus.

Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down Thursday's debate in the Senate on the Turkey F-16 deal initiated by Senator Rand Paul, the message it sends about US-Turkey ties, and more.

Political scientist and expert Panos Koliastasis joins Thanos Davelis to look at this ongoing crisis in SYRIZA and the broader center left, while breaking down the latest polls and the message they send ahead of European elections.

Alexis Papachelas, Kathimerini’s editor in chief, joins Thanos Davelis to look at why there is good reason to worry about Egypt in Washington, Brussels, and Athens as the crisis in the Middle East threatens the stability of one of the most important countries in the region.Why

In late December a petition was launched titled “Nostos for Greek Adoptees,” asking the Greek state to recognize some 4,000 Greek-born adoptees from the post-war era - the so-called Lost Children of Greece. Dr. Mary Cardaras joins Thanos Davelis to tell the story of the "Lost Children", and look at what steps can be taken from Athens to bring them back to their roots.

Georgia Nakou, a features editor at MacroPolis, a specialist website focused on political and economic analysis of Greek affairs, joins Thanos Davelis to break down Greece's record year for tourism last year, the causes for concern amid questions of sustainability, and the government’s response.

Iliana Magra, a journalist with Kathimerini who covered the farmers’ protests in Athens and the SYRIZA convention that has now raised the prospects of a fresh leadership race within the party months after Stefanos Kasselakis was elected, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis from Athens.

On February 18th the floating storage regasification unit in Alexandroupoli received its first test shipment of U.S. liquefied natural gas. In other energy news, it looks like decision time has come for hydrocarbon surveys off Crete. Dr. Theodoros Tsakiris, an associate professor of geopolitics and energy policy at the University of Nicosia, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what these developments mean for Greece and the region.

With a resurgent Russia on one side, and a US that is sending mixed signals about its commitment to NATO and European defense, does Europe need a back-up plan? Max Bergmann, the director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies at CSIS, joins Thanos Davelis too break down why European defense is likely becoming a necessity.

Expert Constantinos Filis, the Director of the Institute of Global Affairs and an associate professor of international relations at the American College of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss Erdogan’s latest visit to Egypt, whether Cairo is really ready to mend fences, and what these developments mean for the broader region.

Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the latest important developments from Washington, DC, including the US-Greece Strategic Dialogue, the Southeast Europe and Eastern Mediterranean forum, and a breaking report on a letter from the State Department to Congress implying the same of F-16s to Turkey has conditions.

Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author who has reported extensively on the marriage equality bill, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Greece's approval of the landmark bill, and the ripple effects it is having beyond the country’s borders.

2024 will see billions of people head to the polls, including in the US, and many have asked if global democracy is on the ballot. William Antholis, the director and CEO of UVA’s Miller Center of Public Affairs, joins Thanos Davelis to look at these upcoming elections, with a focus on the US, and break down what’s at stake for the US and democracies around the world, including Greece.

Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the main takeaways from HALC, Kathimerini English Edition, and the Delphi Economic Forum's 5th Southeast Europe and Eastern Mediterranean conference in Washington, DC.

Evangelos Savva, the Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss how Cyprus has moved from being viewed solely as a problem to becoming part of the solution to key regional challenges, and look at whether the country's growing regional relevance can help solve the Cyprus problem.

Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ambassador Alexandra Papadopoulou, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the key takeaways from this 5th Strategic Dialogue, and highlight what it means for the bilateral relationship. We also look at Greece’s effort to obtain a seat as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and ongoing talks with Turkey.

Erdogan finally approved Sweden's NATO bid a few weeks ago. With the Biden administration green-lighting the F-16 sale in return, Washington now seems to be employing a new approach of positive reinforcement with Ankara. Given Turkey's track record, including playing host to Iranian and Russian leaders, expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to explain why now is not the time for Washington to reward Turkey’s Erdogan.

Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to look at Friday’s 5th US-Greece Strategic Dialogue in Washington, DC, and discuss the latest developments on the Cyprus issue.

Yiannis Mouzakis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece’s housing crisis and the Golden Visa scheme, and explore whether it's time for Greece to rethink this scheme and take bold steps to address this crisis.

Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss a recent trip with a team of international journalists to southeast Turkey that looked into the ways last year's devastating earthquakes continue to impact Turkey and the region.

Nikos Efstathiou, who was just in London reporting on the latest developments over the Parthenon Sculptures for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss sentiment in London around the issue, and break down why the return of the 2,500-year-old marble sculptures and reliefs seems all but inevitable.

Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the ongoing farmer and student protests in Greece, efforts to pass a key marriage equality bill, and the latest polls, breaking down how these developments could impact the Mitsotakis government.

Greece is set to serve as the headquarters of the EU naval operation in the Red Sea against Iranian-backed Houthi militants, and has also proposed taking command of the mission at sea. Revecca Pedi, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest initiative from Athens and its significance.

John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera's Southeast Europe correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the stakes for Ukraine ahead of a crucial EU summit amid growing resistance from Hungary over aid to the war torn country. We also break down the view from Greece, with Prime Minister Mitsotakis reiterating this week that Athens remains committed to supporting Ukraine.

In a major escalation in the Middle East crisis, three US service members were killed and dozens more injured in a drone strike on the Syrian-Jordanian border by the Iranian-backed Islamic Resistance. Al-Monitor's Amberin Zaman joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this deadly attack, how it could impact the region, and what a potential US withdrawal from Syria would mean for America’s partners on the ground - the Syrian Kurds - and for the fight against ISIS.

Prof. George Demacopoulos joins Thanos Davelis to explore why Russia is trying to undermine the Patriarch of Alexandria and split the Orthodox Church in Africa, and explain why this should be viewed as part of a larger Russian project whereby Russia's President Vladimir Putin uses the church to advance his own global ambitions.

Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis with the latest analysis from Athens as we discuss the Biden administration's Friday decision to formally inform Congress of its intention to proceed with a deal to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Greece, while looking at what this means for Greece and US-Greek relations.

Yannis Palaiologos, a journalist at large with Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss how tourism and frantic development is impacting Greece’s most popular islands in the Cyclades, and look into the efforts of a relatively new initiative called the "Sustainable Cyclades" project, which aims to put a spotlight on these issues.

Henri Barkey, the Cohen Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the vote on Sweden in Turkey’s Parliament and look at the lessons US policymakers should walk away with from Erdogan’s handling of Sweden’s NATO accession.

Nikos Konstandaras, a columnist for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how Greece, given the position it finds itself in today, has a unique window of opportunity to push key reforms forward that would go a long way toward tackling some of the key challenges the country is up against, particularly the demographic challenge.

On Monday Greece introduced a bill that would allow for voting by mail. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to look into this latest step by the Mitsotakis government, and break down what it could mean for Greek democracy and for diaspora Greeks.

Endy Zemenides, HALC’s Executive Director, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the letter leaders of the Hellenic Caucus sent to President Biden calling on him to invite President Christodoulides to the White House to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, and provide a look ahead at Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ upcoming visit to New York and Chicago.

Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the government's proposed marriage equality bill, look at how it's impacting Greece’s political scene, and touch on the broader public debate around the issue of marriage equality - including hate speech on social media platforms.

Professor Stathis Kalyvas joins Thanos Davelis to look at how the seemingly unstoppable rise of tourism is changing Greece, and what challenges this poses for the country in the coming years.

Expert Michael Rubin joins Thanos Davelis to break down why the US rewarding Erdogan with F-16s or a potential White House visit for approving Sweden's NATO membership - something that responsible governments would do without enticement - only encourages blackmail.

Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias recently outlined a new approach for how the Greek armed forces will be run, calling it “the armed forces of 2030”. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense editor, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the key takeaways from his exclusive interview with Defense Minister Dendias, and give us an inside look at the changes Greece is looking to implement.

Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to break down why playing "hardball" with Turkey - setting clear parameters and enforcing them relentlessly - is the only way to defend US regional interests and stop Turkish President Erdogan’s mercurial and manipulative policies.

Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s Eastern Mediterranean correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss this latest move by the government to scrap all the fines imposed on the elderly who never got vaccinated against Covid-19, look at the reactions it has sparked, and break down how a new wave of infections is impacting the country.

Ryan Gingeras, a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an expert on Turkish, Balkan, and Middle East history, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the prospects for Greek-Turkish relations in 2024, the role of Washington, and what to expect in US-Turkey ties as the year unfolds.

Alexandra Voudouri, Kathimerini's Brussels correspondent, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what’s at stake this year in the European-wide elections for European Parliament in June, and and break down whether the concerning growing support for the far-right we are seeing could turn into a political tsunami.

Endy Zemenides, the Executive Director of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, joins Thanos Davelis to break down the key takeaways from Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s latest visit to Greece, and explain why it is time to apply the Biden Administration’s domestic mantra - “Build back better” - to its foreign policy, particularly when it comes to the US-Greece relationship.

Constantinos Filis, the Director of the Institute of Global Affairs and an associate professor of international relations at the American College of Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what's at stake in 2024 as a record number of people head to the polls, including in the US this year, and break down what the US presidential elections could mean for Greece and the US-Greek relationship.

Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis to break down what's on Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ agenda for 2024, from the mini cabinet reshuffle he announced this week to passing key legislation  that includes permitting non-state universities in Greece, allowing for postal voting, and legalizing same-sex marriage.

Bradley Bowman, the senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at the big picture amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea, including how this increasingly volatile crisis could impact the Eastern Mediterranean.

Lena Argiri, the DC correspondent for ERT - Greece’s public broadcaster - and a contributor to Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis from Washington with the latest analysis on Sweden, Turkey and the US, and breaks down why Washington may not be able to afford delaying the sale of F-35s to Greece much longer.

Expert Nikolas Katsimpras joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the Red Sea crisis, look at why it’s significant from Greece’s perspective, and break down why is it important that Athens plays an active role in this effort.

Angeliki Dimitriadi, the head of the migration program at ELIAMEP, joins Thanos Davelis to look into the latest breakthrough on a new EU migration deal, and explore what it means for frontline states like Greece and Cyprus.