Türkiye and Greece signal diplomatic thaw during high-level Ankara summit

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has signaled a significant softening of ties during a high-stakes meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, marking a renewed effort to stabilize relations between the two neighbors.

Following the talks, Erdoğan remarked that the long-standing issues between Türkiye and Greece “are not unsolvable.”

The President added that progress could be achieved regarding disputes over the Aegean Sea.

Reiterating Greece’s stance, Mitsotakis identified the delimitation of maritime zones as the sole point of contention, suggesting that “this matter could be referred to international justice based on the Law of the Sea.”

Extending an invitation to Erdoğan for the next High-Level Cooperation Council meeting in Athens, Mitsotakis declared it was time to “eliminate every threat” from their relationship, asking, “If not now, when?”

A primary source of friction between Greece and Türkiye remains the delimitation of maritime borders in the Aegean Sea.

Reflecting on the historical legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Eleftherios Venizelos, Mitsotakis noted after the session, “Destiny has condemned us to live in the same neighborhood. We cannot change geography, but we can make it our ally.”

While the tone was constructive, familiar tensions surfaced when Erdoğan spoke of the “Turkish minority in Western Thrace.” Mitsotakis rejected this characterization, noting that under the Treaty of Lausanne, the Thracian minority is defined by its religious character.

Mitsotakis further called for a resolution to the Cyprus issue based on United Nations resolutions, emphasizing that “it is essential not to drift into crises and tensions, even when we disagree.”

For his part, Erdoğan criticized Greece’s cooperation with Israel and demanded Türkiye’s unimpeded participation in European defense initiatives.

An analysis in the Greek newspaper Kathimerini observed that “despite the civility, disagreements persist.”

This marked the first meeting between the two leaders since their encounter during the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2024.

Greece and Cyprus continue to support the UN position for reunification based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation, while Türkiye favors a two-state solution.

Alongside the leadership summit, various ministers from both nations held meetings under the framework of the High-Level Cooperation Council.

The council, which last convened in Athens in 2023, involves a series of ministerial discussions aimed at bolstering cooperation across diverse sectors.

Government officials from both Greece and Türkiye signed several agreements within the High-Level Cooperation Council framework.

These accords were finalized during the meeting between Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Notable initiatives include cooperation to stimulate bilateral investment and the promotion of a new ferry route linking Thessaloniki and Izmir to boost tourism.

The two sides also agreed to strengthen coordination between their foreign ministries within the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

Additional agreements cover joint actions for earthquake preparedness and response—reflecting shared regional risks—as well as a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation.

A separate deal aims to enhance scientific and technological cooperation between the Greek Ministry of Development and the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology.

Officials stated that this package of agreements is intended to deepen practical, cross-sectoral cooperation while maintaining the ongoing political dialogue between Athens and Ankara.