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US Democrats conclave in Athens
Arriving in Athens a week after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited, the US Democratic Party’s overseas arm (Democrats Abroad) is holding its 2019...
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At Cairo summit, Turkey slammed for drilling in Cyprus’ EEZ
At a trilateral summit between Egypt, Cyprus and Greece in Cairo on 8 October, the leaders of the three countries slammed Turkey's drilling in...
Analysis
Greece and US ink new defence deal and extend strategic dialogue
Taking a welcome break from his involvement in the Trump-Ukraine issue, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo completed his short Balkan swing on 6...
Archive
Secretary of State Pompeo begins short Balkan swing
Despite the turmoil in Washington which has practically everything except his current European trip in focus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo departed Italy on 4...
Archive
Washington and Athens agree on new defence agreement
The US and Greece have agreed on the text of a new document which will modify the existing bilateral Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA)...
Archive
Meeting Erdogan at UN, Mitsotakis eyes calmer waters
The meeting between Greece's newly elected Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the United Nations General...
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Zaev-Mitsotakis New York meeting – breaking the ice
The prime ministers of Greece and North Macedonia held their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)...
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Drone strikes on Saudi oil fields spike prices
Geopolitical tensions and fears of longer-than-expected supply shortfalls led to Brent crude oil prices rising more than 1% on 19 September following the drone...
Albania
Tusk makes final push in support of Western Balkans enlargement
Outgoing European Council President Donald Tusk devoted his time on 16 September to make a final push in support of the EU accession aspirations...
Archive
EU wants progress in Russia-Ukraine gas talks
The European Union will host a fresh round of Trilateral Gas Talks between Russia and Ukraine on 19 September in Brussels with European Commission...
Analysis
The mother of all hearings
As soon as the new European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, revealed on 10 September that Hungary’s former Minister of Justice Laszlo Trocsanyi...
Archive
Russia fuels global gas race with Arctic LNG-2 project
Competing in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) race, Russia’s largest independent gas producer, Novatek, France’s Total and the other project shareholders have approved...
Archive
EU says Ukrainian pipeline still key conduit for Russian gas
The European Union fully supports Ukraine as a stable and reliable transit route and will do its utmost to ensure that Ukraine remains an...
Archive
Mitsotakis government’s foreign policy inevitably points to Washington
In view of ongoing tension between Turkey, the EU and Washington, it was completely reasonable for the new Greek government of Prime Minister Kyriakos...
Archive
Iran escalates tensions in the Persian Gulf after seizing UK tanker
In the latest escalation in the Persian Gulf region, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard reportedly captured a British-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz...
Analysis
The Name Dispute after the July 7 Greek elections
The June 2018 Prespes Agreement, which settled the so-called Name Dispute with newly-renamed North Macedonia, Greece’s northern neighbor, was an important but not the...
Archive
The big question mark for OPEC and Russia confab: Extend production cuts
MOSCOW – The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major oil producers led by Russia plan to meet on 1-2 July in...
Albania
As enlargement discussions freeze, aspirants twist in the wind
Discussions in Luxembourg regarding EU enlargement in the Western Balkans made little headway this past week, despite the threat from North Macedonian Prime Minister...
Archive
Don’t slow the flow: EU wants no snag in Russian gas via Ukraine
As Nord Stream-2 builders are planning to finish the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany underneath the Baltic Sea by the end of the...
Analysis
Could Kazakhstan’s recent election be a model for the rest of Central Asia?
NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan - As the dust settles following Kazakhstan’s elections, some outside observers are concluding that the approach taken by the Kazakh government in support...
Archive
Zaev hints at early elections
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev of North Macedonia hinted on 5 June, and again the next day, that he would consider calling early elections if...
Archive
Cyprus, Noble Energy reach deal to expedite Aphrodite development
Cyprus’ government has reached a deal to revise the contract with US-based company Noble Energy and its joint venture partners, Israel’s Delek Group and...
Archive
Kosovo-Serbia relations again disrupted
Raids by Kosovo police on 28 May in a large anti-corruption operation triggered a serious deterioration of already-strained Kosovo-Serbia relations in the following days,...
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US sanctions may be too late to stop Nord Stream-2 construction
US sanctions against the controversial Nord Stream-2 pipeline from Russia to Germany are unlikely stop the project’s construction but may prevent Russian gas monopoly...
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Saudi-Iran spat over drone attacks fuel oil prices
Increased tensions in the Middle East have fuelled oil prices this week. On 16 May, crude oil prices increased more than 1% as a...
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EIB loan to finance power cable between Crete and mainland Greece
ATHENS - The Greek island of Crete took a step closer towards energy independence and cutting CO2 emissions on 9 May, following a deal...
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North Macedonia’s presidential election results calm West’s worries
North Macedonia’s presidential runoff election on 5 May produced results guaranteed to calm fraying nerves in Athens, Washington, Brussels, Paris, and Berlin as the...
Archive
US boosts LNG supplies to the EU, aiming to reduce reliance on Russia
The increased exports of American liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe will decrease the European Union’s reliance on Russia and boost EU energy security,...
Archive
Finland to start constructing nuclear plant with Russian reactor in 2021
SOCHI, Russia – Fennovoima is proceeding with plans to build the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant in the northern Finnish city of Pyhäjoki and...
Analysis
Name Dispute chills North Macedonia’s presidential election
What would normally be an inconsequential election for the largely ceremonial post of president in North Macedonia has crystallised into an unofficial referendum on...
Africa
Greece, Cyprus, Jordan cement East Med Gas Forum relationship
ATHENS – The leaders of Greece, Cyprus and Jordan will hold a trilateral summit in Amman on 14 April to expand cooperation in the...
Analysis
New legislation energizes US policy in the Eastern Mediterranean
Important new bipartisan legislation has been introduced by two ranking US Senators to reshape and energize US strategy in the Eastern Mediterranean, taking into...
Albania
Tsipras visits Skopje hoping to cement his Prespes accomplishments
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras visited North Macedonia’s capital Skopje on 2 April, his second visit to the country since signing the Prespes Agreement. ...
Analysis
Tsipras heads to Skopje to salvage his Prespes gambit
Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to deliver on his promised trip to North Macedonia’s capital, Skopje, on 2 April, which was announced...
Archive
OPEC+ oil production cuts, possible US-China trade deal boost oil prices
Supply cuts led by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), US sanctions against Iran and Venezuela and the possibility of a US-China trade...
Analysis
Name Dispute: Important issues progressing while public attention fades
While the Name Dispute between Greece and the newly-renamed Republic of North Macedonia has fallen out of the headlines, several notable developments occurred in...
Archive
US, Israel, Cyprus, Greece reaffirm regional energy cooperation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on 20 March...
Analysis
Name Dispute: Coming to terms
The Name Dispute has again fallen from the headlines in Northern Macedonia and Greece, as the public focus in Skopje is on April’s Presidential...
Archive
Wind power may cover almost 40% of Portugal’s electricity by 2030
PORTO, Portugal – Portugal’s wind power is expected to grow to around 7 GW by 2030, which is enough to cover almost 40% of...
Archive
Pompeo spearheads US efforts to bring East Med gas to EU
ATHENS – The United States is very supportive of plans to develop gas reserves in the East Mediterranean and export them to Europe, lessening...
Archive
Delphi Economic Forum – A small US official presence, but long American shadow
DELPHI, Greece - At the February 28-March 3 Delphi Economic Forum, (DEF) entitled “The Challenge of Inclusive Growth” the long list of invited American...
Albania
Delphi Economic Forum: Intense focus on Southeastern Europe
DELPHI, Greece - Now in its fourth year, the 2019 Delphi Economic Forum (DEF) has grown into a true Davos-like venue, with groups from...
Archive
Cyprus’ new Glaucus-1 gas field can boost EU energy security
DELPHI, Greece - A major offshore natural gas discovery in the Eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus at the Glaucus-1 well by US energy giant ExxonMobil...
Analysis
Name Dispute: Nationality tussles highlight Prespes Agreement flaws
If there is an area where the June 2018 Prespes Agreement’s legions of detractors and a reasonable number of its mainstream but unenthusiastic supporters...
Archive
Exxon potential gas find in East Med boosts EU pipeline hopes
Israel, Cyprus, Greece and Italy are expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement for the EU-backed EastMed pipeline project in March to transport natural gas...
Analysis
Name Dispute: A time for kudos, awards and arrests
Now that the ratification procedures for June’s Prespes Agreement between Greece and newly-renamed North Macedonia are complete, the focus has shifted to a wide-ranging...
Archive
German MEPs Brok and Keller reiterate opposition to Nord Stream-2
STRASBOURG – Two members of the European Parliament on February 12 renewed their opposition to the Nord Stream-2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to...
Analysis
Name Dispute: North Macedonia’s name change takes hold
Following Greece’s ratification of the NATO Accession Protocol for North Macedonia February 8, over the past week, Europe witnessed a series of implementation steps...
Archive
EU tougher regulations unlikely to stop Nord Stream-2
EU ambassadors have reportedly agreed to toughen regulations on the Nord Stream-2 on February 8, but they have decided not to back plans that...
Archive
Athens clears path for North Macedonia’s NATO admission
NATO’s 29 members and the soon-to-be-renamed Republic of North Macedonia signed the country’s NATO Accession Protocol in Brussels on February 6. Since the Name...
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