Sermpos on ProtoThema: The West’s approach to Turkey and the primacy of power in international relations

A fewer hours earlier the gathering betwixt Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Sotiris Sermpos, Associate Professor of International Politics astatine Democritus University of Thrace, explained to Direct and Giorgos Evgenidis wherefore Turkey contiguous appears much demanding and assured than ever, the mistakes of Greek diplomacy, and however planetary developments from Gaza to Ukraine signifier the limits of Greek overseas policy.

Sotiris Sermpos connected Direct

In his interrogation with protothema.gr, Sermpos emphasized that Greece indispensable realistically measure the caller planetary environment: “We are successful an epoch wherever wide values and planetary instrumentality are devalued. The satellite is becoming harsher and much transactional, without a powerfulness capable to stabilize it,” noting that this requires an adaptation of Greek diplomacy.

Regarding today’s Mitsotakis–Erdoğan meeting, helium explained that the model is wholly antithetic from erstwhile periods: “In the past, erstwhile Turkey had a mediocre narration with the West, it sought support. Today, we person a West that wants to attack Turkey, and Erdoğan has learned his lessons and appears much confident. Turkey’s diplomatic leverage has increased, and Greece volition request to navigate the triangle of West–Greece–Turkey.”

The Professor of International Politics warned that Athens cannot proceed with the aforesaid aged approaches: “We person a clump of keys and support trying the aforesaid ones, but the doorway has changed. Turkey is not the same, its demands person multiplied,” highlighting the request for “planners and architects” successful overseas argumentation susceptible of managing a analyzable environment.

On determination developments, helium noted that the Middle East volition stay a cardinal focus, emphasizing that “Turkey is transactional successful its approach.”

About Gaza, helium stated: “What triggered the struggle was October 7. This is simply a warfare that indispensable beryllium won ideologically astatine the extremity of the day. Legitimacy does not lone use to Israel; Hamas does not person it either.”

Sermpos explained that Greece indispensable spot its narration with Israel done the lens of harsh reality: “It was Israel that came to america erstwhile Turkey changed its stance. We are a assemblage of interests and values. However, each state fights its ain wars. Israel volition not lick everything for us.”

Finally, helium assessed that Europe has already missed important opportunities: “Putin’s occurrence is inseparably linked to Europe’s failure. Ukraine received assistance lone to support itself, not to reclaim territory. The historiographer of the aboriginal volition beryllium harsh connected the EU. We indispensable spot crises arsenic opportunities,” helium emphasized.

He concluded that Greek overseas argumentation needs a triple strategy: “Self-preservation, renewal, adaptation. This is the triptych for Greece successful a changing world.”