Blinken urges Turkey, Greece to end dispute in wake of earthquake goodwill

Wrapping up his Greece visit, the top American diplomat focused on unity among allies as the Ukraine invasion's first anniversary nears.
Greece's Minister for the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Christos Stylianides (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (C) during a meeting with a Search and Rescue team that assisted during the earthquake in Turkey, in Athens, on February 21, 2023. (Photo by MICHAEL VARAKLAS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Greece's Minister for the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Christos Stylianides (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (C) during a meeting with a search and rescue team that assisted during the earthquake in Turkey, in Athens, Feb. 21, 2023. - MICHAEL VARAKLAS/AFP via Getty Images
Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Al-Monitor Staff

While visiting Greece on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Athens and Ankara to ride the momentum of solidarity. The two neighbors had put their disagreements aside after twin earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria and killed more than 45,000 people. 

Wrapping up his tour of Germany, Turkey and Greece, Blinken focused his messages on efforts to set up a united transatlantic bloc a few days ahead of the first anniversary of the Ukraine war's start.

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