Russia’s Lavrov Draws Sharp Line Between Athens and Ankara

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has offered a blunt assessment of Greece’s and Türkiye’s respective positions in Moscow’s strategic outlook, according to reporting by the Independent Balkan News Agency (IBNAEU).

Speaking about Greece, Lavrov said Athens has “cut almost all forms of cooperation” with Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine. He stated that Greece’s participation in Western arms transfers and its alignment with what he described as an anti Russian narrative have dismantled long standing political, economic and cultural ties.

Lavrov argued that Greece’s military support for Ukraine, including weapons deliveries, is viewed in Moscow as part of a broader Western effort aimed at weakening Russia. He added that this policy choice was shaped by external pressure and does not necessarily reflect public sentiment inside Greece.

By contrast, Lavrov described Russia’s relationship with Türkiye as one based on mutual respect and reciprocal interests. He pointed to cooperation in energy, including the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and gas transit routes, as well as Ankara’s role as a diplomatic interlocutor on Ukraine and wider regional crises.

“Russia does not seek ideological friends,” Lavrov said. “We seek partners capable of producing working agreements.” In this context, he described Türkiye as a key regional actor able to manage competing geopolitical pressures, while characterising Greece as fully embedded within the Western security framework.

Lavrov’s remarks come as Greece moves to deepen defence cooperation with France and advance naval modernisation efforts. His comments add a Russian diplomatic perspective to ongoing shifts in military and political posture in the Eastern Mediterranean.