In a move not seen even during the height of Greece’s financial crisis, four Greek ministers are visiting Berlin within a single month. It’s a striking development that signals both a renewed diplomatic engagement and the pressing need to address a series of complex bilateral and European issues.
In recent years, visits by Greek officials to the German capital have been sparse. Germany, long the epicenter of Greece’s bailout negotiations, had gradually relegated Athens to a “normalized” status in its political consciousness — even if, for many Greeks, that normalization has yet to fully materialize.
Frequent meetings in Brussels and other European forums have also made in-person trips less essential. Still, the presence of four senior Greek officials in Berlin in just a few weeks marks a shift in tone — and ambition — for Athens’ diplomacy with Europe’s powerhouse.
Migration: The “Hot Potato” of Secondary Returns
The diplomatic marathon kicks off on November 4 with Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris, who meets with Alexander Dobrindt, Germany’s hardline Interior Minister from the conservative Christian Union (CSU).
Migration remains one of the most sensitive and politically charged issues between the two countries. Both ministers speak the language of tough border policies fluently, but Plevris will rely on an interpreter to deliver a crucial message: Greece, which has borne the brunt of Europe’s refugee burden, cannot absorb secondary returns — asylum seekers sent back from Germany to their first EU entry point.
The talks follow a landmark ruling by Germany’s Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, which found that young, able-bodied single men could be returned to Greece without facing “inhumane living conditions,” since they can meet their basic needs through informal work.
Plevris is not expected to make public statements, and no joint press conference will follow. “It will be a confidential meeting,” a spokesperson for Germany’s Interior Ministry said.
Despite the political noise, deportations back to Greece have remained low — fewer than 25 returns since the start of the year. Both sides will also discuss a pilot program for the voluntary return of 500 recognized refugees, a project delayed since January.
Reinvigorating Greek-German Cooperation
Next up, on November 5, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandra Papadopoulou meets her German counterpart Géza Andreas von Geyr to review the full spectrum of bilateral and strategic issues: from Turkey and Ukraine to NATO cooperation and the modernization of the Greek-German partnership.
This dialogue dates back to 2016, when then-Foreign Ministers Nikos Kotzias and Frank-Walter Steinmeier institutionalized regular high-level consultations. Now, under Germany’s new coalition government led by Friedrich Merz — uniting Christian Democrats and Social Democrats — both sides seek to update and deepen that framework.
On November 6, Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theoharis joins the diplomatic offensive, focusing on economic relations, investment flows, energy, and digital transformation, all key areas for Greece’s post-crisis growth strategy.
Economic Diplomacy: From Crisis Drama to Pragmatism
The series of visits will culminate on November 24 with Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, who is set to meet his German counterpart Lars Klingbeil.
Gone are the days of high-stakes showdowns reminiscent of the Varoufakis–Schäuble era, when eurozone negotiations often resembled political theater. Schäuble, the late German finance minister, even devoted an entire chapter in his memoirs to his infamous clashes with Greece’s then-finance chief, Yanis Varoufakis.
Today, the tone is markedly different. Pierrakakis and Klingbeil enjoy a cordial working relationship. “Sometimes, the Germans even envy Greece’s growth rate,” a Berlin insider quipped — though both sides know this trip is about long-term partnership, not bragging rights.
This will be Pierrakakis’s second trip to Berlin in weeks, following his appearance at the Berlin Global Dialogue 2025, where he spoke on new power dynamics in the global economy.
The Missed Opening: Industry and Defense Cooperation
The Greek diplomatic sequence was meant to begin a day earlier, on November 3, with Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos at the 8th “Friends of Industry” Conference, hosted by German Economy and Energy Minister Katharina Reiche and attended by European Commission Vice President Stéphane Séjourné.
However, due to scheduling conflicts, Theodorikakos was represented by Greek Ambassador Alexandros Papaioannou and his diplomatic adviser Sophia Stamatelli.
The Berlin conference focused on the future of Europe’s industrial competitiveness amid growing geopolitical pressures from China and the United States. The resulting Berlin Declaration, adopted by EU ministers, calls for reducing bureaucratic hurdles, simplifying regulation, and curbing dependency on Chinese rare-earth materials — all while strengthening the continent’s industrial backbone.
Although the official agenda remains under wraps, Greek and German officials are expected to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the defense industry. The two nations already share long-standing industrial ties.
In July 2025, for example, Germany’s leading shipbuilder TKMS (formerly ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems) signed a memorandum of understanding with Skaramagas Shipyards for the modernization of four Hellenic Navy submarines (HDW Class 214). Meanwhile, the EODH Group, a key player in armor systems, continues to produce components for Leopard tanks — a platform widely used by both armies.
A Diplomatic Month That Could Redefine Ties
Four visits, four agendas — and a shared ambition to reset the Greek-German relationship on new terms.
For Athens, the stakes are high: balancing its position within the EU, managing migration pressures, and attracting investment while maintaining energy resilience. For Berlin, the challenge lies in preserving influence in a changing Europe — one where Greece, once the bailout pupil, now seeks a louder voice at the table.
