A trade war can only produce losers, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized during a conversation with American author and journalist Robert D. Kaplan at the 10th Delphi Economic Forum on Thursday.
Mitsotakis welcomed US President Donald Trump’s decision on Wednesday to suspend the imposition of additional tariffs on European goods for 90 days, describing it as a “window of opportunity” for meaningful negotiations between the EU and the US toward a mutually beneficial agreement.
“We must use these 90 days to engage in an honest dialogue,” he said. “International markets have sent a clear message: tariffs are a serious cause for concern.” The prime minister stressed that Greece has a clear interest in supporting free trade.
He also argued that there is no economic logic behind imposing tariffs on products such as olive oil, olives, and feta cheese, as these items do not compete with or impact US domestic production.
Turning to foreign policy, Mitsotakis described Greece as “a strong member of the European Union and NATO, a country with strategic ties to the United States that it seeks to deepen, and a nation capable of shaping European policy.”
On domestic politics, he characterized his conservative New Democracy government as “strong,” while describing the opposition as “fragmented.” “As a result,” he noted, “we do not have a balanced political system, which leaves room for populism.”
Looking ahead to the future, the prime minister expressed confidence in his government’s trajectory. “I believe that as long as we deliver on our commitments, as long as we increase wages and create jobs, we can look forward to even better days, because we are in a strong fiscal position, which is recognized by the average citizen,” he said.
“As long as we stay the course and remain humble, we have a very good chance of winning the 2027 elections,” he added.
Mitsotakis also pointed to the country’s political stability, underscored by his government’s parliamentary majority, which he said is respected by international investors. [Kathimerini, AMNA]