Trump, Erdogan and the awkward role of Mitsotakis: what footage from the NATO summit showed

Images from the summit NATO caused controversy in Greece: Trump demonstrated warm contact with Erdoganwhereas Mitsotakis was ignored.

Footage from the NATO summit in Ankara, where Greek Prime Minister Κυριάκος Μητσοτάκης found himself on the periphery of Donald Trump’s attention, caused a sharp political reaction in Greece and unpleasant questions about the weight of Athens on the international stage.

The reason was video footage and photographs from the summit, in which the American president actively communicated with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and especially with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Against this background, the Greek prime minister found himself nearby, but without a noticeable public scene of personal contact with Trump.

Such footage in itself is not evidence of diplomatic failure. At summits, leaders move around constantly, greeting each other off camera and having short, informal conversations. But in politics, symbols work as well as protocols. And when Türkiye gets a warm picture with Trump, and Greece gets shots of waiting in the background, the impression turns out to be painful.

Erdogan was in the center of the frame

At the Ankara summit, it was Erdogan who seemed to be the main beneficiary of visual diplomacy. Reuters notes that Trump praised the Turkish president, spoke of his readiness to lift sanctions imposed due to the purchase of the S-400, and admitted the possibility of Turkey returning to the F-35 issue. Reuters: Trump’s visit was a win for Erdogan.

For Athens, this is not just a matter of protocol jealousy. If Washington does begin to move toward easing sanctions on Ankara and discussing the F-35 for Turkey, the balance in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean will again become more nervous.

Για τι να πρωτοπεί κανείς. Για το ύφος; Για το ήθος; pic.twitter.com/25xzMWtYJb

— Katerina Moutsatsos (@katmouts) July 8, 2026

Against this background, Mitsotakis, according to Turkish media reports, refused to comment on statements by Trump and Erdogan on the F-35, limiting himself to general words about good neighborliness and the need to take into account the sensitivity of allies. Hürriyet Daily News: Mitsotakis did not comment on the F-35 negotiations.

“Athens News” previously wrote that Turkey’s possible return to the F-35 would be a serious challenge for Greece. Greek-American Lawmakers Block F-35 Sale to Turkey.

The problem is not the handshake

The awkwardness of the moment is not whether Trump shook hands with Mitsotakis in front of the cameras or not. The problem is deeper: Greece increasingly looks like a country that fulfills the demands of allies, increases defense spending, provides strategic opportunities, but does not always receive comparable political returns.

For many years, Athens has built its foreign policy in close cooperation with Washington. But under Trump, this logic faces an unpleasant reality: personal relationships, deals and demonstrative gestures often trump lengthy diplomatic formulas. Erdogan plays hardball in this system, bargains publicly and demands. Greece too often looks like it’s waiting to be noticed for its good behavior.

And this is where footage from the summit becomes a symbol. Not because they themselves decide the fate of the region. But because they show a difference in political style: Ankara imposes an agenda, Athens explains its caution.

Greece needs not a personnel, but a strategy

Greek diplomacy should not reduce the problem to a grievance over the lack of a beautiful photograph. International politics is not like a school graduation, where the main thing is who stood next to whom. But if a country wants to be perceived as a serious player, it needs not only loyalty and the right statements, but the ability to shape the agenda.

This is especially important now as Türkiye tries to use the NATO summit to strengthen its role, push for the removal of defense restrictions and promote itself as an indispensable ally. Reuters reports that Erdogan directly called on NATO allies to lift restrictions on the defense industry and support more inclusive cooperation. Reuters: Erdogan calls for lifting defense restrictions.

For Greece, this means that simply relying on “we are a reliable ally” is no longer enough. Reliability is valued but rarely respected unless it is backed by leverage, economic strength, defense industry, and a clear strategy.

Main conclusion

Footage from the NATO summit does not prove that the United States “disregards” Greece. But they show an unpleasant political reality for Athens: at a time when Erdogan has Trump’s direct attention and discusses strategic deals, the Greek side appears much less visible.

This is not a matter of personal grievance against Mitsotakis, nor is it a story about a protocol detail. This is a question of the country’s weight. If Greece wants to be not just invited to group photos, but actually taken into account in decisions on Turkey, the F-35, the Eastern Mediterranean and NATO security, it needs a more active, independent and tough foreign policy.

Otherwise, Athens risks remaining in its usual role: a good, disciplined, convenient ally, but not one for whom Washington changes its agenda. And in big politics, as it turns out, being convenient almost never means being influential.

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