“We need to become a vital geopolitical player — meaning we need to play beyond the Turkey dynamic,” said New Democracy MP, Professor of International Law and Foreign Policy at Panteion University, Angelos Syrigos, speaking on Parapolitika 90.1 radio, on the program “Opposite Microphones” with journalist Vasilis Skouris. He stressed that Greece must “move forward by building shared interests, forging alliances, and playing an active role across the broader region.” He also noted that “you can no longer rely on America. There is no certainty when it comes to America. They may get involved or they may not — and if they do get involved, you’re not even sure you want them involved on your side.”
Angelos Syrigos: His full interview on Parapolitika 90.1
On de-Turkifying Greece’s foreign policy
A. SYRIGOS: In order to effectively deal with Turkey, we need to de-Turkify our policy. Since 1974, our foreign policy has been reactive — Turkey acts, we respond. We have essentially shaped our entire approach around what Turkey does, in order to counter what is objectively our most serious regional rival. But things have reached a point where that is simply no longer enough. We need to become a vital geopolitical player — meaning we need to operate beyond just the Turkey dimension.
A. SYRIGOS: Until now, we have relied on two pillars for our security: strong defense — which we continue to develop and which is going well — and strong alliances. In practice, however, recent years have shown that those strong alliances are not quite what they seemed, and that the places we considered “safe harbors” are not quite so safe after all. Take the Oruç Reis crisis of 2020: we saw that the United States showed little appetite for intervention, while Germany tried to step in but achieved little of note. As for Europe, it is a mistake to view it as a unified bloc driven by altruistic motives — every state has its own interests, and it is those interests that bind states together.
When asked whether he believes the US remains a reliable constant for Greece and whether it would intervene in a crisis
A. SYRIGOS: You can no longer rely on America. There is no certainty when it comes to America anymore. They may choose to get involved or they may not — and if they do, you’re not even sure that you want America involved on your side.
A. SYRIGOS: We need to become a vital geopolitical player — to move forward by creating shared interests, building alliances, and engaging actively across the broader region. It’s not that we aren’t doing this; we have already started and have been doing so for several years now. Our partnerships with Israel and Egypt, the efforts we are making with Jordan and India — all of this is part of that logic. But we need to push much harder, because Turkey too is expanding its reach far more aggressively.
When asked whether Greece should send military equipment to Ukraine
A. SYRIGOS: We have already sent a significant amount of military equipment to Ukraine and we continue to do so — largely from stockpiles that are, frankly, convenient to offload. As a member of the defense procurement committee, I can see exactly what is being sent. When we’re shipping artillery shells that are nearing their expiry date and we’re being compensated for them on top of that, it’s hardly a bad deal for us.
On the opposition’s criticism that Greece is taken for granted by its allies
A. SYRIGOS: This is an old debate. Personally, I believe in long-term relationships — not one-night stands. A one-night stand isn’t valued. It’s the long-term relationship that creates genuine bonds. The problem is that we are in a phase where nothing is stable anymore — and I’m referring primarily to America.
