The countdown has begun for the upcoming meeting between Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, scheduled for May 14–15 on the sidelines of the informal NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Antalya. The diplomatic groundwork is already being laid, with momentum building following Gerapetritis’ recent three-day official visit to Istanbul, during which he visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Fener, as well as the islands of Büyükada (Prinkipo) and Heybeliada (Halki).
According to diplomatic sources, the exact date of the high-level summit between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — which will take place in Ankara under the framework of the 6th Greece–Turkey High-Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) — is expected to be finalized during the Gerapetritis–Fidan meeting in mid-May.
There have also been reports of a phone call between the two foreign ministers discussing preparations for the HLCC. Official sources stress that progress is being made steadily, and that this is just one of several opportunities for dialogue at the foreign minister level.
Another potential venue for contact is the informal EU Foreign Affairs Council (“Gymnich”) to be held in Warsaw on May 7–8. Turkey has been invited, although it remains unconfirmed whether Hakan Fidan will attend. If he does, there may be another chance for a bilateral meeting with Gerapetritis, depending on their respective schedules.
Following the recent talks in Thessaloniki on Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) within the structured Greece–Turkey dialogue, the next step in the bilateral roadmap will be a Greek business delegation’s visit to Istanbul on May 8–9. This delegation will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Chatzivasiliou, and a business forum involving participants from both countries is expected to be held.
Dialogue and Calm Waters
Despite several delays in announcing a definitive date for the HLCC — the most notable setback occurring after the arrest of Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and subsequent political turbulence in Turkey — both Athens and Ankara appear committed to continuing dialogue and maintaining calm in the Aegean, as reflected in recent public statements.
For example, upon returning from Rome, President Erdoğan addressed a journalist’s question about Greece urging the EU not to enter into defense agreements with Turkey. He emphasized: “With Greece, we are trying to develop cooperation based on good neighborly relations, friendship, and alliance.”
“The cable will definitely be built”
Greek diplomatic sources echoed this tone, noting that although significant differences remain, the key priority is ensuring that tensions do not escalate into crises.
Regarding ongoing research in international waters for the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnection, these sources asserted firmly: “The cable between Greece and Cyprus will definitely be built.” They added that no Turkish obstruction is expected, since the laying of the cable is protected under international law, does not require a license, and is permitted as a matter of legal right.
When will the summit happen — May or June?
What remains to be seen is whether the HLCC summit will take place in May or be pushed to June — or even later. May is already shaping up to be a busy month diplomatically, and there are unconfirmed reports of a planned diplomatic tour by President Erdoğan, possibly including a stop in Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump — a visit Ankara is said to be actively pursuing.
