Wide-ranging Q&A session with Greek PM at Council on Foreign Relations

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis covered everything from the pandemic’s effect on tourism, to bilateral trade and economic relations with China, to a question on Turkish “aggressiveness”, to the country’s financial state and debt ratio, during a prominent appearance on Friday morning at the prestigious NYC-based Council on Foreign Relations.

Mitsotakis, in the American metropolis to attend the 77th UN General Assembly, where he will address the plenum on Friday, first fielded questions by Robert Rubin, the former US treasury secretary and chairman emeritus of the Council.

The Greek premier also fielded questions on role of Greece in the European Union, NATO, the economic and physical security of Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the relationship between Greece and the United States.

In response to a question regarding Turkey, Mitsotakis reiterated that official Ankara is “…weaponizing migrants is a hybrid, sort of, threat that has been used by countries, not just against Greece. It was used against, you know, the Baltic countries and by Belorussia. So, you know, these are real, real challenges; so I would think this complicated and difficult world will reward—will reward those who remain naïve about the practices of those countries that don’t like the way we conduct our own businesses.”

The entire Q&A session can be read here