Now, they are at loss about how to escape from a trap of their own making. The whole process has been something of a come-uppance for Putin. He even took a short break from playing the great-and-defiant leader to call U. President Barack Obama to ask why his recently displayed moderation in manipulating the Ukraine crisis had not been properly rewarded.
Nevertheless, Putin and Tsipras keep pretending that they could somehow join efforts in resisting EU pressure. While this is perhaps only a minor irritation for Brussels bureaucrats, it is to the great detriment of the deeply troubled Greek and Russian peoples. Pavel K. Order from Chaos. A how-to guide for managing the end of the post-Cold War era.
In an escalation of tensions, Greece responded by denouncing the four Russian diplomats involved in the scheme. Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his dissatisfaction with the agreement reached over the Macedonia name dispute.
His opposition comes as part of the long political tug of war that the European Union and Russia have been playing for control in the Balkans. The move paves the way for Macedonia to become the latest Balkan state to align with the West. Read more : Meet the Greek-German millionaire investing in democracy.
As an economic bridge between Western Europe and Asia, the Balkans are seen as a key trade route, even more so now that Piraeus, the largest port in Greece, is under Chinese ownership. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been pushing for better ties with his country's Balkan neighbors for some time, but Athens' interest in uniting the region predates his term in office.
The fact that the Greek government has now found partners in Macedonia is an immense step for the region," Angeloudis said, calling the rapprochement between the two countries "a ray of hope. EU leaders have long overlooked the crucial role Greece can play in the Balkans, instead viewing the country primarily as as the bloc's tax-evading black sheep.
But if Brussels ignores Athens in seeking to align the Balkans with Western Europe, it risks the sort of falling out it's now experiencing with Greece's southern neighbor, Turkey.
Ankara had long been friendly towards the EU, but the bloc was content to keep the country at arm's length. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's winning the country's recent presidential election, boosting his increasingly authoritarian power and rediscovering his sympathy for Russia, is clear sign that the EU missed its shot at partnering with Turkey in the long term. And there are some who do not view the new approach as a fleeting convergence of interests.
Especially since a pro-Russian policy plays well with the Greek public. Samuel Huntington's controversial thesis on "the clash of civilisations," which places Greece squarely in the Russian-led Orthodox axis, is rejected by many scholars, but widely accepted by Greeks.
This positive image of Russia has deep roots in history:. More recently, the conservative government of Costas Karamanlis, nephew of the veteran pro-Western statesman, pursued a "diplomacy of the pipelines", envisaging Greece as a gateway for Russian oil and gas to Europe.
It was a policy that enraged Greece's Western allies. The Greek or the Russian? Greek foreign ministry spokesman Constantinos Koutras says there is no need for alarm. Critics say it would be unwise for Greece to place too many hopes on Russia anyway, arguing that Russia has a long track record of frustrating Greek aspirations. After all, Moscow did nothing to help Cyprus, also an Orthodox country, when its tiny economy was on the point of collapse in For Prof Karagiannis, what matters is that Greece is fully integrated into the West, but he warns against underestimating the risks of a Greek exit from the euro.
Holding together a large political bloc is not proving easy for Brussels and may not be for Moscow if its Eurasian Economic Union expands beyond Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. Russia is already struggling to convince others to adopt one currency. In other words, Putin might yet not have the last laugh. Banks Updated.
0コメント