ATHENS – The war in Ukraine and its repercussions were discussed during the meeting between President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the presidential mansion on Friday.

“Many things have happened since the last time we met,” Mitsotakis said, pointing to the extremely unpleasant developments on the Ukrainian front as a result of the Russian invasion. “There does not appear to be much cause for optimism at present regarding an end to the hostilities and we will probably have to be prepared for a period of prolonged uncertainty and instability,” Mitsotakis said.

He said that the repercussions on the economy are already apparent throughout Europe and in the United States, with inflation rising at rates not seen in the last 40 years. “The source of the problem is primarily the rise in natural gas rates, which also affects the electricity rates,” Mitsotakis explained.

Mitsotakis assured the President that there were currently no shortages of any product in the Greek market, which was functioning well, while adding that the government will be ruthless in tackling any incident of profiteering.

Finally, he said that the government was “at the side of the citizens, as it was throughout the difficulties that have arisen, which were more than a few.”

On her part, President Sakellaropoulou noted that one crisis was, unfortunately, succeeding another. “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, apart from the tragic consequences of the humanitarian crisis it has created – a people suddenly turned into refugees, with four to five million already displaced – has repercussion on the economic crisis and, specifically, through the energy crisis.”

She also noted that “solidarity must now prevail, in any way we can think of, as difficult days are coming,” while expressing hope that “we will all be able to handle them in the best possible way.”