Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (C), Greek Cypriot Administration leader Nikos Christodoulides (L) and Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem, Dec. 22, 2025. (AFP Photo)
March 21, 2026 12:46 PM GMT+03:00
Former Greek Finance Minister and economist Yanis Varoufakis said Greece has lost its independence and become a “satellite” of both the United States and Israel, while praising Türkiye for successfully positioning itself as a mediator in regional conflicts, something he said Greece has failed to do.
Varoufakis made the remarks in an interview with Turkish media outlet Hurriyet on Saturday, March 21.
‘Greece has become a satellite of Israel’
Varoufakis said the deep strategic cooperation between Greece and Israel, which he said began in 1999, has been harmful to Greek national interests.
“Greece has become a satellite of Israel. We have lost our independence. We are in the clutches not only of the U.S., but also of Israel,” Varoufakis noted.
“Mitsotakis was caught red-handed using Israeli technology to eavesdrop on his own ministers and members of the armed forces,” he added.
He described Greece’s current position as “pitiful.”
“Our prime minister supposedly sent four F-16s and a frigate to protect Cyprus. In reality, he is protecting the British base there. That territory is being used by the U.S. to kill people in Gaza and Iran. Europeans are cowardly and carry guilt over antisemitism. They once supported the Jewish genocide, now they support the genocide of Palestinians,” Varoufakis said.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks at a press conference during the EU Summit at the EU headquarters in Brussels, March 19, 2026. (AFP Photo)
‘Türkiye is doing what Greece failed to do’
Varoufakis praised Türkiye’s diplomatic positioning in contrast to Greece’s.
“Türkiye is doing what Greece failed to do. We fell under the influence of the U.S. and Israel. Nobody takes Greece seriously anymore. We are the lackeys of the Israeli and American war machines; we have become their satellite,” he stated.
“Your government, for example, in the Ukraine war, maintained very good relations with both Russia and Ukraine at the same time. While sending drones to Ukraine, it also facilitated trade in Russian gas. This is an example of a reasonable and smart policy. It positioned itself as a mediator. I hope Ankara becomes a mediator in this war too,” he Varoufakis added.
‘Türkiye is too big a fish for Israel’
Asked whether Türkiye is being drawn into the conflict by the U.S. and Israel, Varoufakis dismissed the notion.
“Attacking Türkiye would be a very wrong calculation for Netanyahu. Israel is both guilty and cowardly. It does not enter a war it might lose. Türkiye is too big a fish for Israel,” he stated.
He also described Israel as “a clear danger to the entire region and humanity,” saying it needs a permanent state of war in the region “to finally complete the genocide it is committing in Palestine.”
Greek-Turkish tensions ‘profitable for arms dealers’
Varoufakis also stated that the tensions between Türkiye and Greece, including over Cyprus, have historically served the interests of arms manufacturers rather than either country.
“They were trying to do this even before I was born. During my military service, I was on a Greek Navy ship. A Turkish Navy ship appeared in front of us. I noticed the two ships were identical. I later learned they were both built at the same shipyard in the United States,” he stated.
“The tension between Türkiye and Greece is extremely profitable for arms dealers,” he said.
“The West cares neither about Türkiye nor Greece in terms of its own interests,” Varoufakis concluded.
March 21, 2026 12:46 PM GMT+03:00