Russian invasion caused difficult dilemmas in Athens: Hellenism of the Black Sea in danger
FILE PHOTO: The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias with the Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna responsible for the European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and Colonel Martsen, head of the regional military administration.
The countdown to the fall of Mariupol, which despite the heroic and with self-denial of resistance of its inhabitants and the Ukrainian army, will not be able to perceive in the unprecedented for the modern world, its siege for 50 days, poses serious problems in Athens about the future of Hellenism in the Black Sea as a whole.
Because there is Hellenism, not only in Ukraine concentrated around Mariupol, but also on the opposite Russian coast of the Azov and Black Seas.
For Greece, the first main concern and goal is of course the survival and rescue of the Greeks who have remained in the trunks of Mariupol and the surrounding villages that were attacked with incredible brutality by Russian forces.
By methods that constitute war crimes, as civilians in these areas remain excluded without electricity, water, communications and especially without food and medicine, as “free besieged”.
- And for whom the next day will be even more difficult. The majority of Greeks in the Mariupol area since 2014 have lived with difficulty along the line of confrontation with the areas controlled by Russian-speaking separatists, as this was at the same time the line of confrontation between Ukraine and Russia which sought to expand its influence in these areas.
Thus, but also with vivid memories of the Stalinist persecutions, an anti-Russian mindset was formed in most of the members of the Greek community.
The occupation of the region by Russia will mean the forced departure of important expatriates from their homes who will seek refuge either in other parts of Ukraine or even in Greece, although the repatriation of a population that does not speak Greek which is a very difficult case.
The goal of Greece of course does not remain and is not maintained in this historical cradle of Hellenism, the Greek presence, but this is something that under the current circumstances will be extremely difficult to complete and of course is not excluded in Greek decisions and manipulations.
However, initiatives such as that of Foreign Minister N. Dendias to justify to the International Criminal Court, for the investigation of war crimes in Mariupol are correct, but they are not enough to ensure the Greek presence in the Azov Sea.
And Athens should be ready with a prepared plan to enter the table, when of course the time comes for negotiations and issues of guarantees for the safe return of those who escaped from the hell of Mariupol and stay in their homes with internationally guaranteed rights and protection. .
However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rupture of relations not only between Greece but also of the entire West with Moscow, threaten the ties of the Motherland with the Hellenism of Russia. Especially in the regions of Southwestern Russia on the shores of the Black Sea.
The great centers of Pontian Hellenism in Rostov, Stavropol, Krasnoda, Anapa, Sochi and Gelejik have in recent years experienced a real development of the Greek element, which in fact was witnessed by the Greek Foreign Minister himself during his tour in May. . of 2021, after the meeting he had in Sochi with his Russian counterpart S. Lavrov.
The balances are extremely difficult, as this Hellenism is Russian citizens, Russian-speakers with a Russian conscience and facing the war against Ukraine like the rest of the Russian citizens.
- The anti-Russian climate caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities of the Russian Army, should not declare the relations of Greece with this important part of the Pontic Hellenism which holds high the flag of Greece in the Black Sea.
It is still too early, as Russia’s war and confrontation with the West is still escalating, but in Athens planning should be the first priority so that ties with Russian Hellenism are salvaged and soon return to the level they were at. and the expatriates themselves and Greece want.
ΥΓ. Yesterday, in a post, the Foreign Minister said that he had a teleconference with the Greek Ambassador to Moscow K. Nasika and the Consuls General in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novorossiysk on “policies, as well as issues related to the Greek Diaspora and education.” Let us hope that the heavy climate in the Greek-Russian relations will not hinder the initiatives for the maintenance of the relations with the Greek community of Russia.
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