Responding to reports that President Trump may soon visit Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis signaled a shift toward “self-contained” diplomacy, asserting that Greece requires no outside mediator to resolve its longstanding disputes with Turkey.
In an interview with SKAI TV, Mitsotakis framed the bilateral relationship as one that should be handled directly between Athens and Ankara, suggesting that a mature dialogue is possible without third-party intervention.
The Prime Minister’s stance comes at a pivotal geopolitical moment. While Mitsotakis was careful to note he holds “no illusions” regarding Turkish provocations—citing the delimitation of maritime zones and the continental shelf as the “big difference” that remains unresolved—his confidence appears bolstered by a strengthening alliance with Washington.
The backdrop of this diplomatic assertiveness is the growing buzz surrounding a high-level state visit. While Mitsotakis said he could not yet confirm a specific date, the prospect of a visit by US President Donald Trump has moved from rumor to reality following an announcement by Kimberly Guilfoyle.
“I hope she [Melania] comes. I know the President is coming, and I am truly looking forward to both of them visiting Greece. It will be an incredible honor for the country,” Guilfoyle stated this week.
Mitsotakis keen to prevent Turkey from using third-party pressure
By dismissing the need for a mediator now, Mitsotakis is effectively demonstrating that Greece is not a passive bystander in regional affairs but a confident actor capable of managing its own neighborhood. The message to Ankara is clear: Greece is willing to talk, but it does so from a position of renewed domestic stability and high-level international backing.
Mitsotakis’ insistence that Greece does not need a mediator is a strategic signal to both Ankara and Washington. By framing the relationship as “self-contained,” he aims to prevent Turkey from using third-party pressure to force Greece into concessions. However, a visit from President Trump would inevitably be seen as a show of US support. This puts Mitsotakis in a stronger position to say “no” to Turkey’s expanded agenda while maintaining that the dialogue remains strictly between the two neighbors.
As the countdown to the Trump visit begins, Athens is leveraging its “strategic friendship” with the US to ensure that any direct negotiations with Turkey are conducted strictly on the basis of international law.