First visit with his counterpart George Gerapetritis. Key issues for the German side: Ukraine, European Security and Defense, Economic Cooperation. Subsequent stops: Sofia and Bucharest. Influence from Berlin

With the main focus on the continuation of Ukraine support, cooperation with close EU partners and NATO to strengthen European security and defense, economic cooperation with the aim of stimulating European competitiveness, as well as enlargement of the EU, Mondays to Greece, Bulgaria and Bulgaria.

Asked whether he will be held at the meeting with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, the issue of Eurofigher selling to Turkey, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry responded sparingly to the ruling Brifting that the issue “will surely be on the agenda” 2023, despite the differences. The interest in “dialogue on the basis of trust and stability in the SE Mediterranean” is something that Germany shares.

On the issue of the Patriot systems mission to Ukraine and whether it will be the subject of talks in Greece, the German Foreign Minister did not want to be positioned, referring to a press conference on Monday in Athens.

Ukraine, Russian threat

The visit of the German Christian Democrat Foreign Minister Johann Vandeful to Athens will be literally express. Arrival early in the afternoon and transition immediately to the Greek Foreign Ministry for bilateral contacts with his counterpart George Gerapetritis, a press conference. The presence of Johann Vandeful in Greece will be the first visit of acquaintance to outline positions on either side on major European and bilateral issues.

Immediately afterwards, the same afternoon, he will go to Sofia for contacts and press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Georg Georgiev. Johann Vandeful’s final station to Bucharest to meet his Romanian counterpart Oana Toyo. In particular, Romania is at the heart of German interest due to increased Russian threats within it as well as in the “sister” Moldova. The growing Russian penetration and influence on Romania and Bulgaria is an issue that is carefully monitored by Berlin, as Chancellor Friedrich Mertz also openly stated that Putin was “conducting” a “hybrid war”.

The German side also voluntarily voluntarily trends in southern and eastern Europe in terms of the common European effort to re -arrange against the Russian threat, as well as the possibility of a more active Greek presence in Ukraine’s military support, which according to German information is reported by German information.

Greece, for its part, with the aim of enhancing its own deterrent capacity and its defense industry, places particular emphasis on a future participation in the EU’s Safe funding mechanism under the Rearm Europe program, however linking it with strict red lines and veto for a possible participation in Turkey.

Against the backdrop of developments in the Middle East after the Israeli and Hamas truce agreement, the situation in the region the next day and Greece’s role is expected to deal with discussions in Athens, according to German sources, as Vandfoul’s visit to Greece coincides with Trump’s visit to Israel.

Vadeful in 2022 for Greek -Turkish

On the occasion of the visit of the German Foreign Minister to Athens, the Christian Democratic politician, with long experience in foreign policy, security and defense issues in the German parliament, is worth a short retrospective of positions he has previously expressed on Greece. In 2022 he had fiercely criticized his predecessor by the Prasins, Analena Berbok, for Greek -Turkish relations.

During her visit to Athens in July 2022, Analena Berbock had fiercely criticized Ankara from a press conference she had given to Athens at the time.

Then Johann Vandeful, as a representative of the KO. CDU on foreign policy issues, had described the Berbock option to criticize Turkey from Greece, noting that “Germany needs both countries as partners within NATO” and had proposed a more “moderate communication style” and “better coordination” to such visits.

Vadeful in 2015 for war allowances

As for the timeless thorn in the Greek -German relations, the issue of war allowances, Johann Vandeful had been open in 2015, when Greece, in the midst of a financial crisis, had re -raised the issue high on the bilateral agenda. He had stated as a Member and Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee that the opening of the debate on war compensation was “politically dangerous” because it was turning attention away from the issues of the economy, reforms and development in Greece.

He had reiterated Germany’s position that the issue of war compensation “is politically and legally expired” by saying that “the demands of the Greek government are neither legally nor politically justified.”

As he had said, “Greek demands are legally unfounded anyway. On March 18, 1960, Greece signed a treaty with Germany, according to which compensation was agreed and paid. Greece was also a part of the Charter of Paris, with which European states agreed on the reunification of Germany. The claim for compensation (then) 70 years after the end of World War II would also create a previous one. “