Athens–Ankara Reset or Tactical Pause? What Turkish Media Really See in Mitsotakis’ Visit

Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ visit to Ankara is being presented by Turkish media as a moment of “re-engagement.” But beneath the carefully calibrated optimism lies a familiar geopolitical script: dialogue without concessions, warmth without trust, and economics as the lubricant of unresolved strategic disputes.

According to Sabah, the flagship pro-government daily, the upcoming meeting between the Greek Prime Minister and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marks a “new chapter” in bilateral relations. The rhetoric is deliberate. Ankara wants détente — but on its own terms.

Yet history suggests that Greek-Turkish rapprochements rarely fail loudly; they usually fade quietly.

The Economy as Diplomatic Camouflage

Turkish outlets such as Hürriyet and Anadolu Agency place heavy emphasis on the €10 billion bilateral trade target, framing the visit as an extension of a “positive agenda” focused on commerce, tourism and investment.

This is no coincidence.

Economic cooperation has become Ankara’s preferred diplomatic language — one that allows Turkey to appear constructive without reopening core disputes over sovereignty, maritime zones, or security architecture in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

For Athens, the economic narrative offers political cover. For Ankara, it offers strategic ambiguity.

Dialogue Without Silence

While official rhetoric speaks of normalization, Turkish media do not entirely ignore the background noise.

References to recent NAVTEX announcements, Aegean demarcation disputes and Turkey’s insistence on “finding solutions at the table” serve as reminders that dialogue does not equal de-escalation.

In Ankara’s framing, talks are not about settling differences — they are about managing friction while preserving leverage.

That distinction matters.

Why Now?

The timing of the visit is revealing.

• Turkey seeks regional stability optics amid Middle East turbulence
• Greece is navigating a complex EU and NATO security environment
• Both leaders want to appear as responsible statesmen to Western partners

In this context, talks themselves become the product, regardless of outcomes.

Diplomacy as signaling, not resolution.

A Familiar Pattern, a New Packaging

For seasoned observers, the tone of Turkish media coverage feels familiar: cautious optimism wrapped around unchanged positions.

What is new is not the substance, but the branding.

This is not reconciliation. This is risk management.

And in Greek-Turkish relations, risk management often precedes the next stress test.

Mitsotakis’ visit to Ankara is being sold as a reset — but it is more accurately a strategic pause.

The smiles may be real. The handshakes may be sincere. But the red lines remain exactly where they were.

History suggests that when expectations are low, dialogue survives. When they rise, reality intervenes.