Typos

Mitsotakis-Erdogan Meeting: Positive Signs and Unresolved Issues

Published February 13, 2026, 09:32
Mitsotakis-Erdogan Meeting: Positive Signs and Unresolved Issues

The visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara and his meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, along with the Greece-Turkey High-Level Cooperation Council, are being assessed by the Greek government as positive, with the restoration of a satisfactory level of communication. The government estimates that open communication channels will help de-escalate tensions and address difficult issues. However, significant unresolved issues remain, such as the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, as well as Turkey's position on the casus belli. Turkey does not appear willing to revoke the threat of war, something Greece links to the prospect of Turkey's participation in European defense. Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis confirmed that the issue of the threat of war was directly raised by the Prime Minister, emphasizing that a country wishing to join a collective defense cannot simultaneously threaten its members. However, there is no certainty about the revocation of the casus belli. Overall, the visit is considered a step in the right direction, but it does not resolve the deeply rooted problems in Greek-Turkish relations. The positive atmosphere and restoration of communication channels are important, but are not enough to move the discussion forward on more complex issues.