Greece–Russia relations are the bilateral foreign relations between Greece and Russia. The two countries first entered into diplomatic relations in 1828. Both Greece and Russia are members of international organizations and agreements, including the United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.
Relations between the governments of the two states deteriorated since the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014, when Greece condemned Russian intervention and refused to recognize Crimea as part of Russia. In the summer of 2018 relations deteriorated even further. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine political relations hit a historic low since Greek independence and severely damaged Russia's image in Greece.
Greece has an Embassy in Moscow, and three Consulates General: in Moscow,Генеральное Консульство в Москве in Saint Petersburg and in Novorossiysk. Russia has an embassy in Athens, and a Consulate General in Thessaloniki.Генеральное консульство России в Салониках
History Background
Pontic Greeks historically inhabited the northern coast of the Black Sea and Crimea, Kursiver Textthe latter of which was incorporated into the Russian Empire in the latter half of the 18th century.
During the early years of the Kievan Rus', Vladimir the Great of what is now Russia and Ukraine sent out various missionaries to study different faiths that would suit the country, and most crucially, for him. One of his missionaries travelled to the Byzantine Empire and experienced enlightenment for themselves as they had come across Eastern Orthodoxy being practised in now modern-day Greece. The missionary described it as being Heaven on Land. This began the very first ties and cultural similarities between Russia and Greece.
William Martin Leake, who traveled through the Ottoman Empire roughly between 1800 and 1810, wrote in his work Travels in Northern Greece that the Greeks in the Delvino region at that time held a very negative view of the Russians due to their conduct in the Orlov Revolt and their administration of the Septinsular Republic.Col. William Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, 1.020
Russia assisted the Greeks against the Ottoman rule prior to and during the Greek War of Independence that broke out in 1821. Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Governor of the First Hellenic Republic, had previously served as Russia's foreign minister. The Russian Empire established diplomatic ties with the Greek State on 6 September 1828.Межгосударственные отношения России и Греции. Справка
The second queen of modern Greece was born Grand Duchess Olga Constantinovna of Russia, granddaughter of Tsar Nicholas I.
The Kingdom of Greece and the Russian Empire fought for the Allied Powers during the First World War against the Central Powers, and the two fought alongside each other during the Second World War for the Allies against the Axis powers.
In the autumn of 1920, Soviet Russia, having concluded a friendship treaty with the Government of the Grand National Assembly in March 1921, began to extend material assistance, in both gold and arms, to Mustafa Kemal's regime in Ankara, thus significantly contributing to his military success during the war against the Greeks in Asia Minor,«Международная жизнь», 1963, № 11, p. 148. where the Greek genocide was completed as a result in 1922.
The USSR and the Kingdom of Greece established diplomatic relations on 8 March 1924. Official relations were frosty in the 1930s, especially under the staunchly-anticommunist authoritarian regime of Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas. The Percentages Agreement struck by Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill in Moscow in October 1944, which placed Greece firmly in the British sphere of influence, led to the Soviet Union's noninterference in support of the communist uprising in Athens in December 1944, which was crushed with British help as and Stalin's refusal to render tangible assistance to the Greek Communists during the Greek Civil War, which they lost in October 1949.David Carlton. Churchill and the Soviet Union (Manchester University Press, 2000), p. 120.
Most ethnic Greeks living in Crimea as well as other regions near the Black Sea in the Soviet Union were deported to the east of the country in three waves of forced resettlement in the 1940s. A significant number of Soviet Greeks, especially those living in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and other Central Asian Soviet republics, emigrated to Greece in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, shortly prior to the end of the Soviet Union.Panagoula Diamanti-Karanou, "Migration of ethnic Greeks from the former Soviet Union to Greece, 1990-2000: Policy decisions and implications." Southeast European and Black Sea Studies 3.1 (2003): 25-45.
According to Western intelligence officials, Greece's society and political establishment have been deeply penetrated by the Soviet and later the Russian espionage agencies.Is Putin Playing Puppetmaster in Greece? The Daily Beast, 7 August 2015.
Diplomatic spat of 2018 In early July 2018, the government of Greece expelled two Russian diplomats and barred the entry of two others accusing them of undermining Greece's national security. The move was made public, which was seen by experts as unprecedented in mutual relations.Греция показала свое истинное отношение к России vz.ru, 11 июля 2018.Greece, Russia to expel diplomats in Macedonia tussle ahead of NATO summit Reuters, 11 июля 2018.Greece 'orders expulsion of two Russian diplomats' BBC, 11 July 2018. Amid the subsequent acrimonious exchange of official statements, Greece accused the Russian Foreign Ministry of "disrespect for a third country and a lack of understanding of today's world, in which states, regardless of their size, are independent and can exercise an independent, multidimensional and democratic foreign policy".Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement on statements from the spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 18 July 2018. Following Russia's retaliatory move in early August, it was revealed Greece intended to recall its ambassador, Andreas Fryganas, who had been appointed in May 2016.Greece recalls envoy from Russia in worsening spat Vatican News, 11 August 2018.Russia expels Greek diplomats in retaliatory move Reuters, 6 August 2018.Греция отзывает посла из Москвы и заменит его новым - источник Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 10 August 2018.Источник: посол Греции в РФ покинет Москву в конце сентября TASS, 15 August 2018.
The Greek Foreign Ministry′s statement on 10 August 2018 stated: ″Since [Russia] began fighting as a comrade in arms with Turkey, providing it with a number of facilitations in the security sector, it appears to be steadily distancing itself from positions befitting the level of friendship and cooperation that has characterized Greek-Russian relations for the past 190 years. It appears not to understand that Greece has its own interests and criteria in international politics".Putting national interest first: Soberly and firmly. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 10 August 2018. The statement accused Russia of ″attempts to a) bribe state officials, b) undermine its foreign policy, and c) interfere in its internal affairs″.
On 7 December 2018, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras went to Russia on a working visit, his first visit there in three years.Российско-греческие переговоры kremlin.ru, 7 December 2018. After talks with Vladimir Putin, both leaders expressed hope that the spat between the two countries was in the past, bilateral agreements were signed and international issues like the Cyprus dispute were discussed. Tsipras said that he had expressed to Putin his concern at Turkey buying advanced weapons, such as S-400 missile systems, from Russia.Greece's Tsipras tells Russia he's concerned by Turkish arms purchases. Reuters, 7 December 2018.Ципрас сообщил Путину, что обеспокоен в связи с закупкой Турцией российских вооружений. TASS, 7 December 2018. Experts noted that Greek-Russian relations were not as they had been prior to the spat because of the growing importance of Greece's strategic military ties with the US, and military co-operation between Russia and Turkey was increasing.Эксперт: Путин и Ципрас провели самую важную встречу с 2015 года. Rossiyskaya Gazeta, 8 December 2018. On 13 December 2018, in Washington, D.C., the Greek Foreign Minister and the American Secretary of State formally launched what they called "the inaugural U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue",Joint Statement Regarding the Inaugural United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue. U.S. Embassy in Greece, 13 December 2018.Joint Statement Regarding the Inaugural United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 14 December 2018. which Greek Acting Foreign Minister Georgios Katrougalos characterised as ″a procedure that shows the upgrading of our relations with that country″Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos’ Interview on “Thema Radio” with journalists M. Pollatos and I. Makrygiannis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 11 December 2018. and ″the apex of our bilateral relations″.Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs G. Katrougalos’ interview with the “Washington Times”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 18 December 2018.
Prespa agreement Russia has been accused by certain Greek politicians and parties of having sought to thwart the Prespa agreement, reached in June 2018 between Greece and North Macedonia, which was meant to resolve the dispute over the latter's name and was seen as removing the main obstacle for North Macedonia's accession to NATO.Russia accused of trying to undermine Macedonia name deal. European Western Balkans, 13 August 2018.
On 14 January 2019, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a commentary that referred to the agreement as the "Prespa deal" and stated that the decision by the Parliament of North Macedonia to change the country's name had been imposed from outside and did not reflect the will of the people and came "with an aim of pulling Skopje into NATO as soon as possible". The statement went on to cite "the recent developments in Greece — withdrawal from the government coalition of the Independent Greeks Party leader, Panos Kammenos, coming out against the Prespa accord" as evidence that stability and security in the Balkans was thus being undermined. The ministry suggested that "the issue must be considered by the UN Security Council in accordance with Article 3 of UN Security Council Resolution 845".Decision to rename Macedonia doesn't reflect people's will, Moscow says. TASS, 14 January 2019.Комментарий Департамента информации и печати МИД России в связи с принятием Собранием Республики Македонии поправок в конституцию. mid.ru, 14 January 2019. The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement on the Prespa agreement was condemned by Greece, whose official statement concluded by saying, "We express our certitude that Russia, which has for years recognized F.Y.R.O.M as the 'Republic of Macedonia' will respect the sensibilities of the Greek people in using the name Macedonia and will henceforth refer to this country with its new constitutional name, i.e. 'North Macedonia', and most importantly that it will refrain from such statements, which constitute an intervention in Greece's interior affairs".Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement on today's announcement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Prespa Agreement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, 14 January 2019.Greek Foreign Ministry: Russia undermines Prespes peace deal. Kathimerini, 15 January 2019.МИД Греции призвал РФ не вмешиваться в ее внутренние дела из-за Преспанского соглашения. TASS, 14 January 2019.
2022 diplomatic crisis and reactions