Penelope Galliou

With the eyes fixed on the USA, in this crucial week for the American presidency, the Greek governmentmaintaining a waiting and poised stance towards the two gladiators, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The Greek side, throughout the pre-election campaign, closely followed the pre-election race of the candidates, and although on an official and behind-the-scenes level it deliberately avoided taking sides in the candidates’ controversy, at the same time it was preparing for all the eventualities that the tomorrow’s 5th November elections in the USA.

After all, the American factor, in critical open issues, in our wider region, from burning middle east to the ongoing war in Ukraine but also to our relations with it Turkeyhas an active and important role, as a result of which Athens weighs every new development and condition that will arise from the American ballots in the next twenty-four hours.

The policy that the next person will follow president of the USA in a series of issues concerning our country, with the main issue being Greek-Turkish relations, it cannot be left to chance or to the subsequent cultivation of alliances for this purpose with the opposite side of the Atlantic. Another reason in this direction is Tayyip Erdogan’s privileged relationship with Donald Trump, at the end of whose presidency, Greece and Turkey had experienced perhaps the biggest crises of the last several years between them. Both the tension in the Aegean with the successive violations and the crisis in the Evros with the hybrid attack in March 2020, happened at the end of the term of Donald Trump in the presidency of the USA. What is happening with Ankara’s armament programs and the attitude of the next American presidency is also considered critical, given that a possible agreement between Washington and Ankara for the supply of F-35 aircraft is still “on ice” . An agreement, however, which also depends on other factors, as a decisive reason and role, as happened in the case of Greece, when the corresponding agreement was concluded, have the House of Representatives and the Senate and there tomorrow’s American elections will play an equally important role for their composition.

According to diplomatic sources, for a long time and throughout the American pre-election period, the Greek government maintained and cultivated contacts and communication with both opposing American camps, maintaining open channels of communication with both the Democratic staff and with that of the Republicans. The same sources stated that the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs has taken a leading role in the development and maintenance of these relations through his personal contact and communication with the partners of the two gladiators. Moreover, Athens’ fixed position, which has been repeatedly expressed by the prime minister himself, is that good cooperation with Washington is not determined solely by the occupant of the White House, but is a timeless, strategically important relationship, which is strengthened by its geostrategic role our country.

Under these circumstances, Athens considers that the possible victory and election of Kamala Harris is not expected to bring about major changes, as it is estimated that there will be a continuation of Joe Biden’s policy and Athens-Washington relations will continue to move on the road map that has carved in recent years.

On the other hand, channels of communication are also maintained with Donald Trump’s “strategy” and in case of election, Athens is already aware that different handlings and possible redrawing of moves on the diplomatic chessboard will be needed, in order to continue the excellent relationship maintained between recent years between Greece and the USA.

The recent “secret” visit of the former US Secretary of State may have played such a role for some analysts Mike Pompeo, in Athens and his meeting with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. According to Michalis Ignatiou’s report for SKAI television, Mike Pompeo is expected to have an important role in the Trump administration, either taking over the portfolio of the Ministry of Defense or the position of White House security adviser.