Turkey's renewed push to demilitarize Greek islands is less about Greek military strength and more about who Greece is w...

Turkey's renewed push to demilitarize Greek islands is less about Greek military strength and more about who Greece is working with, according to a London-based security expert. Manos Karagiannis, Professor of International Security at the University of London, spoke to ANT1 about Erdogan's latest round of threats and demilitarization rhetoric following a string of provocative moves from Ankara over the past two months. His verdict was blunt: Turkey is not afraid of Greece. It is afraid of Greece and Israel together. "Why would a country like Turkey, with its large population, an economy exceeding one trillion, and extensive combat experience across multiple war fronts, feel threatened by Greece? That is an illusion. Turkey cannot be afraid of Greece," Karagiannis said. He argued the rhetoric is a performance, not a genuine expression of fear. What is actually driving Ankara's alarm, he explained, is the deepening Greece-Israel security partnership. Greek and Israeli forces training together shifts the balance of power in Greece's favor in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Turkish officials know it. "What they fear is the convergence of Israeli and Greek interests in the Eastern Mediterranean," he said. Karagiannis also flagged a broader geopolitical complication for Athens. Greece has strengthened its position in recent years, but the old certainties are eroding. The current U.S. administration has a working relationship with Erdogan, and Europe remains focused on the Russian threat rather than the Turkish one. That leaves Greece navigating a more exposed strategic environment than it faced even five years ago. The professor concluded that Turkey's real concern is Israel, and Greece's growing power through that alliance. #Greece #Turkey #EasternMediterranean