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eKathimerini (22 September 2026)

Vassilis Nedos

In response to Turkey’s warnings over the eastern Aegean islands and a planned Greece-Cyprus(*) electricity interconnection project, Greek diplomatic sources point to the message by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an interview with ERT last week that, “We do not threaten anyone, but we do not accept anyone threatening us” – underscoring Athens’ refusal to accept threats amid mounting signs of renewed tension between the two NATO allies.

In a recent interview, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan renewed objections centered on what Ankara describes as the “militarization” of eastern Aegean islands and on the resumption of surveys for the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection project.

“The region needs peace, not armaments. War is not to anyone’s benefit. What is essential is peace,” Fidan said, adding that politicians in Greece “insist on this stance” and appear to be moving toward a pre-election climate. Referring to the Greece-Cyprus interconnection, he said Turkish armed forces and the coast guard were in a “highly sensitive” state and expressed hope that “no one there [in Greece] will proceed with a reckless action.”

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(*) AVİM uses "Cyprus" as a geographic name. AVİM considers the expression "Republic of Cyprus" to mean the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus.