PM calls out Turkey’s ‘double game’
On a visit to Lithuania, Mitsotakis says Ankara is trying to play both sides in Ukraine war
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on a visit to Lithuania and Estonia, criticized Turkey Monday for playing an ambiguous game in the Ukraine war and highlighted its similar revisionist approach to history with Russia.
“Turkey considers it does not need to choose a side… it seems OK to Turkey to provide arms to Ukraine while catering to Russian economic interests and disregarding EU sanctions [and] facilitat[ing] Russia to bypass sanctions,” Mitsotakis said in a statement to the media after meeting with Lithuania’s Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte in Vilnius.
Mitsotakis also said in his statement that, “despite our geographical distance, Greece and Lithuania face common challenges” such as revisionist neighbors to the east and migration.
The Greek prime minister also noted the two countries’ embrace of European values and their support for peace and countries’ self-determination and territorial integrity, support that extends to all 27 EU members and “all but one” of NATO’s 30 members, an obvious jab at Turkey.
Mitsotakis’ visit to Vilnius coincided, as he noted, with 100 years of diplomatic relations between Greece and Lithuania. For 51 of those years, Lithuania was under Soviet occupation and, during World War II, occupied by German forces.
On bilateral issues, Mitsotakis and Simonyte discussed investments in infrastructure, new technologies and renewable energy sources. Mitsotakis noted that Greece is investing in becoming an energy hub and contributing to the extent it can to diversifying energy sources and wean Europe off its dependence on Russia. On that front, Mitsotakis was briefed on energy policy at the NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence located in Vilnius. Before that, he met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda. He also gave an interview to Lithuanian state TV LRT.
Mitsotakis departed later Monday for Tallinn, where he attended a dinner hosted by Estonian President Alar Karis.
On Tuesday morning, after touring the Estonian capital’s old center, Mitsotakis is due to meet with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Shortly after noon, the two will make statements to the media and take questions. A working lunch will follow.
Finally, on Tuesday afternoon, Mitsotakis will meet with Parliament Speaker Juri Ratas.
