He notes the strengthening of the geopolitical role of Greece in an interview with K, a Greek by birth, former Supreme Commander of NATO (2009-2013) Admiral James Stavridiswhich emphasizes not only the importance of the geographical position of Greece, but also the role of the Greek-American community, while noting that it would be in the geo-strategic interests of the United States to deploy the American Aegis destroyers, currently located in Spain, in Greek ports.

In his assessment, after his re-election, Erdogan may become a more cooperative partner, and in this light, there may be an opportunity if, now with increased self-confidence and without having to influence public opinion so much, the Turkish president decides to soften some of his positions.

However, he notes that the US will continue to pressure Turkey to stop its aggressive actions in the Aegean, pointing out that Ankara’s attitude towards Athens is part of Washington’s overall assessment of Turkey’s supply of new F-16s and their modernization, which neighboring countries already have. .

Finally, Mr. Stavridis, who served as Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (2013-2018) after completing his tenure in the U.S. Navy and is currently Vice President of Global Affairs for the Carlyle Group, also speaks of the war in Ukraine points out that the likelihood of a settlement is rising as the West’s patience could start to dwindle due to both capital and equipment costs.

– If Greece were a stock, its value would rise. As the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean becomes more complex, the importance of Greece as a partner is growing due to its unique geographic location, its enduring value as an ally, and its cultural ties through a strong Greek-American community.

– It really is, with a focus on the Aegean Sea as Greece/NATO bordering the Black Sea and the wonderful coastlines in the Mediterranean. Along the way, I would like to see the American Aegis destroyers stationed in Greece, not in Spain, which is so far to the west. US Navy ships were anchored in Piraeus in the 1970s, and it was a very popular base port for all executives, even common sailors, as well as a valuable “forward presence” during the Cold War from an admiral’s point of view.

– It means “Erdogan Peak”. It is difficult to assess whether this will lead to a more moderate policy towards the Alliance and Ukraine, since he will not have to appeal to his base, but in general I think that in the future we will see him as a more accommodating partner. Time will show.

“Finance is what will determine much of Erdogan’s positioning going forward, so we should expect him to seek help where he can find it financially.

Greece’s importance as a partner is enhanced by its geographic location, its enduring value as an ally, and its cultural connection through the Greek American community.

– Nobody knows, but I would say that he will continue to try to follow the middle path. A good indicator would be whether he accepts Sweden into NATO. If he doesn’t, voices will be heard saying that losing Turkey could be a profitable trade for Sweden. I doubt he will go that far, so I bet he will play Sweden in the next few months.

– The US will continue to pressure Turkey to stop its aggressive actions in the Aegean against the sovereignty of Greece. This will be part of the rationale behind the F-16. Don’t forget that Turkey has already exited the F-35 program, and the F-16 upgrade is a consolation of sorts at best. Both sides will continue negotiations, and Greek concerns will certainly be part of the rationale, as they should be.

– It’s too early to tell, but he seems to be more accommodating, especially towards Israel, which could be beneficial for Greece.

“Perhaps an opportunity is being created as a confident Erdogan who doesn’t need to influence his base so much will moderate some positions. Let’s hope. I would say that the best policy for Greece is to simply watch what Turkey does in the coming months.

“Over the next year, there will be increased pressure on both Russia and Ukraine to find a solution. For Putin, the “burnout rate” is too high — he is losing hundreds of thousands of young Russians killed and wounded in combat and fleeing Russia to avoid being drafted, and he has lost about half of his ground combat strength — tanks and armored personnel carriers. .

As far as Ukraine is concerned, Western patience may be running out, given the cost of both capital and equipment. Given both of these pressures, a negotiated settlement is likely to take place later this year.

Russia will join China anyway. In America we say “ducks love ducks” and in this context, authoritarian regimes love other authoritarian regimes. We have not removed Russia – this is wishful thinking. Putin chose to invade Ukraine not once, but twice, in 2014 and 2022, and it was a conscious choice. The notion that he was threatened by NATO in some way is completely silly. As the former Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces of NATO, I have seen all the military plans and there are no offensive options for Russia: only defensive plans. And given Putin’s selfishness and actions, I’m glad that we as an Alliance are ready to thwart his ambitions.