ATHENS – The visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Greece this week was excellent and the American official acknowledged the role of stability Greece plays in the region, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias said in an interview on Thursday.

Speaking to Skai TV, Dendias said Blinken was also very supportive of possibly restarting talks with Türkiye following the improved climate after Greece’s response to the devastating earthquake in the neighboring country on February 6. It was Greece’s duty to help out, the FM added, bilaterally and as an EU member.

Dendias commented extensively on the goodwill created between Greece and Türkiye and said this “very different climate, a very positive climate” between the two peoples made it a lot easier to reconnect and restart talks in terms of foreign policy. “This climate of goodwill must be preserved,” he said, while also noting that “in a very positive manner, Turkish violations in the Aegean airspace have been drastically reduced, even completely stopped.”

Asked by journalist Sia Kossioni if the Greek-Turkish difference can be resolved, Dendias responded, “Of course it is resolvable. I believe this, believed this from the start, advocated it, and still do.” But both countries must work on the foundation of International Law and the Law of the Sea, he added.

Commenting on the Ukraine war, which will complete a year on Friday since Russia’s invasion, Dendias said it was a tragic and entirely useless war, and a massive Russian mistake, a massive violation of International Law. Greece’s respect for International Law and the Law of the Sea are values it is applying in Ukraine. “Therefore, we have no choice,” he noted, calling it “a matter of principle” to support Ukraine.