Athens, July 16 — For Greece, the path between its Western alliance commitments and deep-rooted ties with Russia grows ever narrower. The Greek government has backed European Union sanctions against Moscow following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and it expelled Russian diplomats on espionage allegations in 2022. Yet Athens remains among the EU members most reluctant to sever all economic links with Russia, a stance driven by the arithmetic of its vast shipping sector, which employs tens of thousands and generates significant revenue.
The pattern is consistent: Greece votes with Brussels but hedges on implementation where its own fleet is concerned.
Historical and Cultural Foundations
The bilateral relationship between Greece and Russia dates to 1834, soon after Greece won its independence from the Ottoman Empire. The two nations share deep historical and cultural bonds, including Orthodox Christianity and a common Byzantine and Slavic heritage.
That cultural capital long greased commercial wheels. During the Cold War, Greece joined NATO in 1952, but it never fully severed its economic and cultural links with the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Athens pursued closer economic ties with Russia, focusing on energy deals and tourism.
The arrangement benefited both sides: Russian natural gas paired with Greece’s large shipping sector, and Russian tourists flocked to Greek islands. These mechanics were straightforward — Russian gas and Greek shipping made a natural pair, and Russian tourists filled Greek islands.
The Crimea Effect and the Ukraine Invasion
Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 began the fraying of that relationship. Greece condemned the move and refused to recognize it.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several threads snapped. Greece supported EU sanctions against Moscow and expelled Russian diplomats over espionage allegations. On closer reading, that expulsion was a sharp signal: even a historically cautious partner had a red line.
The catch is that Greece has not walked away entirely. Follow the money: the country’s shipping sector — a cornerstone of the economy — has a direct stake in Russian energy and cargo routes.
Sanctions that hit shipping too hard would hit Greek balance sheets. Greece also depends on Russian energy imports, leaving its room for maneuver tight.
Economic Arithmetic and Future Choices
The Greek government’s position reflects both commercial interests and a historical wariness of antagonizing Moscow. The shipping sector employs tens of thousands and generates significant revenue, making it a crucial factor in Athens’s calculus.
Greece has backed EU sanctions, but it has been notably cautious about measures that would harm its shipping industry. That is not sentiment; it is arithmetic. What to watch next is whether the EU’s next sanctions package forces Greece to choose more starkly between its NATO commitments and its commercial relationships.
The historical ties will not disappear. For now, Greece is walking a line that gets narrower every month.
The significance for European unity on sanctions, energy security, and the stability of global shipping routes hinges on how Athens navigates that line.
