Greece Ex-FM: EU “on the Brink of Decay” Without Strategic Autonomy
Dimitris Avramopoulos, Greece's former Foreign Minister, delivered the sobering assessment during an Istanbul conference focused on recalibrating power dynamics across the Eastern Mediterranean region.
"Europe is in transition. Europe has to choose. Is it going to enhance its strategic autonomy? Otherwise, it will not survive," Avramopoulos declared at the panel discussion titled "Beyond Tension: Rebuilding the Strategic Balance in the Eastern Mediterranean."
The continent teeters dangerously close to irreversible decline, he cautioned, unless leaders act decisively.
"If Europe does not decide to proceed immediately to the completion of the European project by adopting common defense and foreign policy, it will not survive," he emphasized, characterizing the bloc as being "on the brink of decay" under current trajectories.
Mediterranean Nations Urged to Seize Control of Regional Future
Avramopoulos emphasized the critical importance of Eastern Mediterranean territories, urging nations in the zone to assert control over their geopolitical trajectory rather than remain pawns in larger power struggles.
"This historic geography has become a modern theater of competing interests among global and regional actors," he observed, outlining how Washington focuses on NATO cohesion and securing maritime routes, Moscow leverages energy resources and naval presence to expand influence, Beijing positions the area as vital to supply chain operations, and Brussels pursues energy source diversification alongside regional stabilization.
Countries must prioritize long-term strategic thinking over short-term conflicts, Avramopoulos insisted, advocating that regional powers "choose strategic maturity over momentary tension, cooperation over suspicion and institutional foresight over improvisation."
He criticized the reactive posture dominating current approaches: "Too often, we act reactively. We wait for the incident and then we search for the escalation."
Mediterranean states should "take their destiny into their own hands," he urged.
Triangle of EU-Turkey-Greece Holds Region's Fate
The relationship dynamics between the European Union, Turkey, and Greece represent both the greatest vulnerabilities and opportunities facing the Eastern Mediterranean, Avramopoulos suggested.
"Long-standing disputes remain unresolved. Maritime zones remain contested. Rules of conduct in the air and in the sea remain sensitive," he noted, acknowledging ongoing diplomatic friction points.
While technical negotiations persist and positive engagement frameworks maintain dialogue channels during various periods, Avramopoulos cautioned that current efforts fall short: the process "is not a strategy without architecture."
True structural stability requires more than periodic talks, he argued.
"Architecture means stable mechanisms and predictable repeats. It means tools that can withstand headlines and electoral cycles," Avramopoulos explained.
"We need institutionalized de-escalation. We need permanent channels for incidence prevention. We need open lines of direct communication in real time. We need protocols for interactions in the air and at sea. We need confidence-building measures that are operational," he added.
Inflammatory war language threatens to contaminate diplomatic environments and constrict political maneuvering room, Avramopoulos warned, sabotaging prospects for substantive negotiations rooted in reciprocal respect and comprehension.
"If we really want trust, we must reduce such things. The European Union should not be a spectator of that. It is affected by every regional shock. It is affected by oppression on borders and migration flows. It is affected by energy security and connectivity. It is affected by stability and by its own creativity," he stated.
Relations between Brussels and Ankara remain "selectively functional" yet simultaneously "politically constrained," Avramopoulos observed.
He urged the EU to reject "a purely transactional logic that buys time" rather than genuine stability, and abandon "a pure declaratory posture that repeats principles without tools."
Addressing Greek-Turkish bilateral ties, Avramopoulos advocated for establishing a "partnership company" anchored in "sustainable principles and shared goals with clearly defined common interests."
"Such a (Mediterranean cooperation) scheme would mobilize resources; It would align incentives. It would be the community of stability grounded in real interest and it would reduce the momentum of destabilizing forces," he elaborated.
Gaza Crisis Tests Region's Humanitarian Resolve
No serious examination of regional stability can overlook the Gaza conflict, Avramopoulos maintained.
"Gaza is stress test for our entire neighborhood. It intensifies polarization and hardens narratives. It increases the risk of spillover and addresses everyone's humanitarian credibility but requires a dual commitment: security for Israel and the credible political and humanitarian horizon for Palestinians," he explained.
Absent a viable path forward, he cautioned, "the vicious cycle repeats itself."
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