Greek PM Calls on EU to Take On Turkey

The European Union must impose “meaningful sanctions” on a “belligerent Turkey,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis wrote Thursday, referring to the two countries’ escalating maritime dispute in the Eastern Mediterranean. In a scathing op-ed published in three of Europe’s leading newspapers – The London Times, Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and France’s Le Monde – Misotakis explained that while Greece would welcome open dialogue, it would not be “held at gunpoint” by Ankara. “What threatens my country’s security and stability threatens the wellbeing and safety of all EU member states,” the prime minister wrote, warning of any attempts to appease Turkey. For over a month now, a Turkish survey vessel tasked with exploring the waters north of Cyprus for natural gas has caused an uproar, with Greece accusing Turkey of violating EU agreements and its territorial integrity. Athens’ allies, including France and the UAE, have conducted several joint military drills in the vicinity of the Turkish ship in a show of force that served only to enrage President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.