Greece – Turkey: The rift in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean resurfaces aga…

Despite recent optimism expressed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about holding the Greece–Turkey Supreme Cooperation Council in early 2026, tensions have resurfaced following Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s speech in the Turkish National Assembly. Fidan reaffirmed Ankara’s revisionist positions on the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean, Cyprus, and the minority in Thrace, rejecting Athens’ stance that the sole dispute is the delimitation of maritime zones (EEZ and continental shelf).

Turkey’s long-standing claims spanning territorial waters, airspace, FIR, search and rescue zones, and island sovereignty, remain central to its agenda. Athens dismisses these as unacceptable, insisting dialogue must be limited to maritime delimitation. While both sides express willingness to continue talks, consultations have stalled since late 2024, with any upcoming meetings expected to focus narrowly on cooperation in areas like migration and civil protection.

Fidan also emphasized Cyprus, calling for greater recognition of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” and the lifting of embargoes, while Turkish media accused Greece, Cyprus, and Israel of encircling Ankara’s interests. He further raised the issue of the minority in Thrace, framing it as a matter of reciprocity with the Greek minority in Constantinople, an interpretation Athens rejects under the Treaty of Lausanne.

Although rhetoric remains sharp, the confrontation is unlikely to escalate significantly in the near term, given pending diplomatic initiatives and U.S. efforts to prevent new flashpoints in the region.

🔗 Tovima