The United States’ recent political withdrawal from many parts of the world is also affecting the likelihood of an American intervention in Greek-Turkish affairs.

As Greeks, we always choose the path of peace. The rule of law has been and will continue to be our compass. It is in this light that over time and across political parties we have always focused on diplomacy.

The extent to which Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Turkey has lost any sense of measure and does not realize its limits was confirmed once more by the reaction of Turkish officials toward the US presidential candidate Joe Biden, with the loudest one coming from the Turkish president’s spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists on keeping up his well-known nationalist rhetoric to which we have grown accustomed. He does not hide his neo-Ottoman dreams and visions and continues his provocative actions not only against Greece and Cyprus, but also a number of other countries, including France.

I read the farewell letter that was published in Kathimerini by former Greek prime minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos following the recent death of his friend and colleague Giorgos Panagiotopoulos (both men served as presidents of the Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court).

The Greek side was and remains ready and willing to enter into exploratory talks with Ankara. The recent agreement on exclusive economic zones (EEZs) between Greece and Egypt seems to have irked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who abruptly called off the upcoming talks.

The same international broadcasters and newspapers that have hailed Greece for its management of the coronavirus will be quick to point out any problems that may arise over the summer.

Alexis Tsipras is almost certainly annoyed at not getting the support he needed from the opposition when he was prime minister and engaging in the difficult negotiations for the name deal with Skopje.

Greece has a problem with racism just like almost every western country. It’s as simple as that. In most neighborhoods, a Black person faces discrimination, negativity, rejection and often oppression. Life in Greece is not easy for a person of color.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva hails Greece for its rapid and successful response to the coronavirus crisis, but also believes that its reliance on tourism and shipping will put it among the harder-hit economies in the eurozone, forecasting a recession of 11.7% this year.

The European Union has clearly not reached the degree of integration envisioned by its founders. Despite the painstaking efforts of many important leaders over the past 70 years, the bloc has not evolved into the “United States of Europe.”

Whether we are talking about great powers or smaller countries, secret diplomacy is and always has been considered a key aspect of international relations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not a man who listens to others. He does what he thinks is right, either because that is what his heart and mind dictate, or because it serves him politically.

Crucial elections are taking place in North Macedonia next week, following a three-month delay because of the pandemic. Relations between Athens and Skopje are much improved since the 2018 signing of the name deal. Still, the vote is important.

There’s an ocean separating what Greeks understand by the term “compromise” and what is understood in other parts of the West.

In late June 1997 – just 17 months after the Imia crisis and while Greek-Turkish relations remained extremely taught – I met in Washington with Peter Petrihos from the State Department’s Southeast Europe bureau at the time.

Many Americans, though mostly those with Greek roots – many of whom do not have Greek passports – are confused and frustrated by the ban forbidding them from traveling to Greece this summer, at least for the time being.

Greek-Turkish relations are in a particularly sensitive phase as the US presidential election race enters the final stretch. Athens – among many others – is increasingly concerned by Ankara’s aggressive stance.

Most of the offspring of prominent families usually look for fun and carefree times. Then there are others who dedicate their time to welfare activities, choosing to help the underprivileged and the persecuted.

A cabinet reshuffle is only a matter of time. It does not matter much whether it will be sweeping or limited to “corrective moves,” but any decisions will have substantial value, aimed at improving performance and achieving better results.