UK ambassador hails Greece’s ‘strategic role’ in turbulent region

Greece has played a “positive role from the outset” of the Russia-Ukraine war and “it is unquestionably of strategic significance,” the British ambassador in Athens, Matthew Lodge, said on Monday.

“The Greek government responded swiftly, offering full support for Ukraine, its sovereignty and the efforts of the West and NATO to assist Ukrainians in their defense – while being careful to avoid escalation,” he said, speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) on the sidelines of the eighth Greek-British Symposium, in Thessaloniki, northern Greece.

Drawing on his 28 years of experience in the diplomatic corps, the British ambassador believes that “conflicts like these can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, under the right conditions.”

“While the two conflicts are very different, and certainly the causes behind them vary, I’m afraid that in both cases, we are still far from a ceasefire, when diplomats can do their work,” added Ambassador Lodge.

“This does not mean, of course, that we cannot and should not prepare the ground and explore the possibility of dialogue where feasible. But regarding the Ukraine invasion, we must support the Ukrainian people’s right to territorial integrity and the defense of their country. Therefore, there can be no discussion if the other party, the aggressor, is not ready to recognize Ukraine’s right to be a sovereign and independent state. And it seems we are still far from reaching that point,” he told the AMNA.

Commenting on the spiraling conflict in the Middle East, Lodge emphasized the need “to do everything we can to avoid a broader escalation.”

Speaking more specifically about Greek-UK ties, the British ambassador referred to significant investment projects under way across Greece, including in the north, as well as the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project involving BP, the AMNA reported.