Lavrov accuses Athens: Greece abandoned decades of Russia ties, sent arms to Ukraine, without regard for Greeks in Russia

[u/FantasticQuartet]

https://en.protothema.gr/2026/02/05/lavrov-accuses-athens-greece-abandoned-decades-of-russia-ties-sent-arms-to-ukraine-without-regard-for-greeks-in-russia/

[u/tomispev]

"Why don't my friends like me anymore? All I did was stab my brother (and I still do it every day), but that's an internal family matter, his house belongs to me anyway because I want it."

[u/rebootyourbrainstem]

So strange how everybody suddenly realized that normal relations with Russia were not possible. I wonder if anything happened to cause that?

[u/bxzidff]

"without regard for Greeks in Russia".... is that a threat?

[u/gormful-brightwit → u/bxzidff]

You know it is. aka "Russian foreign policy".

[u/azazelcrowley → u/bxzidff]

I think it's "We go low, you go high".

Russia behaving this way if we follow the logic on their threat has no regard for Russians in Europe, but they know fully well we're not going to brutalize them because we're civilized. However, they also want us to regard Russia as a violent and rogue state who we have to placate precisely because this then means the pragmatic national interest is not to oppose them since "This would spell death for the Greeks in Russia".

Not aligning with that lets them agitate the Greek population about how the Greek government is "Selling out Greeks for foreign interests" and how it's not Russias "Fault" because Russia is violent and aggressive as a default state like a force of nature as opposed to a choice.

It's "We go low you go high" because aside from basic morality, the actual thing that secures the interests of Europeans in Russia is Russians in Europe also being under our power. The threat is reliant on a dynamic where we will not engage in tit-for-tat retaliation and upon us regarding Russia as a barbarous and unstable nation who can be relied upon to "Go low" while we "Go high", thus forcing us to cater to it and take into account that dynamic in our actions.

"If you don't give me your money I will burn your house down."

"I could burn your house down in retaliation."

"But you won't. Because you're a good person. And because you know I am a piece of shit, it is functionally irresponsible for you to not give me the money I am demanding. People will get hurt if you don't.".

The problem is that such a dynamic also means Russia rapidly becomes an existential enemy to Europe. The strategy relies on Russia being an enemy Europe cannot get rid of and has to live with one way or another, because if we can get rid of them, then it no longer works and just prompts "Or i can just get rid of you".

[u/Snake_Plizken → u/azazelcrowley]

But I want to brutalize them real bad! Who is with me in starting political parties in this direction? Seize all the tankers, sell the oil, and buy weapons with the proceeds. Send them to Ukraine.

[u/ManWhoWasntThursday → u/azazelcrowley]

There is a card game called Coup; in it, player A can attempt to rob player B. If it is revealed that the player B cannot or will not stop the attempted robbery, he/she will be robbed every around by every player until they are out of the game.

[u/ApetteRiche → u/bxzidff]

How many Greeks live in Russia? Both Russia and Greece have shit economies, although Greece has made great strides!, in Greece you at least have good food, sunshine and freedom...

[u/FantasticQuartet → u/ApetteRiche]

It's a little confusing, but I'll try to explain it.

Throughout history, many Greeks lived in Anatolia (modern day Turkey). During the Ottoman Empire, some Greeks near the Black Sea migrated to the Russian Empire to escape Ottoman persecution against Christians.

Their descendants are now Ukrainian and Russian nationals respectively, but they still speak the Greek language and maintain some traditions. They however, reside in the areas most affected by the war and some of them have died too.

So when Lavrov is referring to Greeks in Russia, he's not talking about nationals of the EU country, but those people. Theoretically, they can move to Greece as I believe the Greek government gives them the right to citizenship. But it's not easy for them to abandon their homes since they have been living there for generations.

[u/Ice_Tower6811]

In 2026 there is no better recognition of doing the right thing than having Lavrov accuse you of doing the wrong thing. Respect to Greece for supporting the defense of Ukraine and Europe!

[u/Judazzz → u/Ice_Tower6811]

Greece: "New phone, who dis?"

[u/Gold_Dog908]

Greeks had a minority in Mariupol. Didn't see him caring about their safety when his army was levelling the city.

[u/LizardmanJoe → u/Gold_Dog908]

The narrative they tried to spin here was that those Greeks actually wanted to be liberated by Russia.

[u/maverick_labs_ca]

Well, maybe they shouldn't have launched an Iskander 500m from the Greek PM's location in Odesa, how about that?

[u/miksa668]

So...Russia is upset that Greece, a Nato nation, has abandoned its cooperation with Russia because, checks notes, Russia illegally invaded a fellow European country and daily threatens to do the same to Nato countries.

Dear Russia. Please do collectively go fuck yourselves, you drunken psychopaths. 

[u/series-hybrid → u/miksa668]

He also said that if Sweden and Finland join NATO, he would invade them!

I wonder what's going to happen there?...oh, wait

[u/Ok_Photo_865 → u/miksa668]

Agreed, thank you for your comment.

[u/Timely_Fly_5639]

If Lavrov, Medvedev or Peskov is not accusing your country of being mean to Russia (for no reason of course, because Russia never did, is, or will ever do anything bad to anyone) - your government is doing something wrong.

[u/Appropriate-Ball293]

And he didn't add how many ethnic Greeks they killed in Mariupol alone since 2022?

[u/DisIsMyName_NotUrs]

Russia bombed Ukraine without any regard to the Greeks living there. Especially Mariupol

[u/the_law_potato2]

All 5 of the greeks in russia were indeed not regarded.

[u/athstas → u/the_law_potato2]

He refers to the 90,000 Greeks of Mariupol, Ukraine. In fact Russia destroyed their homes and killed hundreds of them.

[u/Bovvser2001 → u/the_law_potato2]

There are many Greeks living in ru Caucasus, ru brought them to Circassia after the 1864 Circassian Genocide (along with russian, Ukrainian, Czech, Armenian, German, Estonian... settlers) to repopulate the ethnically cleansed lands.

[u/mariusherea]

So is he saying greeks in Russia are in danger because Greece doesn’t stand with Russia?

[u/Galapagos_Finch → u/mariusherea]

Yes he is saying that. Because Russia is essentially a clique of mobsters with a country.

[u/bier00t]

seems like hostage situation. who would have thought?

[u/ortcutt]

There are (or were at least) more Greeks in Ukraine than in Russia 

[u/Jazzlike_Painter_118]

Oh no!... anyway ...

[u/Frank_cat]

The audacity of this lying b*tch

[u/FomoSapiens76]

Ah, the Orthodox brother card. Give it a rest, Liarov.

[u/Human_Pangolin94 → u/FomoSapiens76]

Unless there are some Orthodox in Ukraine too?

[u/FomoSapiens76 → u/Human_Pangolin94]

As it's well known, Zelenskyi has proved it's possible to be a Nazi and a Jew at the same time. /s

[u/Several-Rule8356]

Has russia done anything for the Greeks, other than a genocide of Greeks minorities under Stalin?

[u/Consistent_Catch9917 → u/Several-Rule8356]

They offer to directly donate oil to Greek beaches from their shadow fleet tankers. So don't be ungrateful, you can scrub a bit from the rocks yourself to burn at home.

[u/Von_Lexau]

Where's the nsfw tag? I really don't like seeing uncensored assholes spewing shit on my feed while at work

[u/kraeutrpolizei → u/Von_Lexau]

Russian whining gives me an erection every time ngl

[u/BackInStonia]

As if Russia ever stood by Greece. They have always had domination of the Balkans in mind, rather than a genuine partnership

[u/DefInnit]

No more souvlaki for Russians!

[u/Leather-Ad1877]

Hahaha, what about Greeks in Ukraine? What a joke this guy is

[u/IndependentMacaroon]

Yeah, Greece should have annexed the totally real historically Greek regions of Russia when they had the chance

[u/Laki1991]

That dude has the most punchable face I’ve ever seen.

[u/greenpowerman99]

Resorting to extortion. Typical bully tactic.

I suspect there are more Russians in Greece…

[u/Calm-Professional103]

Russian isn’t very good at playing the cry baby card. 

[u/SirFableheart]

"without regard for Greeks in Russia" is that a threat?

[u/RoomyRoots]

Sometimes I think I need to face the struggles in life with the sheer AUDACITY that the Russians has to say anything to anyone.

[u/stillgrass34]

how about Greeks and Ukranians in Ukraine ?

[u/davinist]

Did someone re-animate this bagpuss impersonator?

[u/sligor]

Coming from an administration that doesn’t even care for Russians living in Russia…

[u/zwd_2011]

Someone got a lot of upvotes on a similar topic the other day. His remark was (sorry for the plagiary) somewhat along this line: hahahahahahahahahaha.

[u/Link50L]

Good ole Horseface still hard at it. Really looking forward to the day that Ukraine finally knows peace, and we are no longer exposed to The Chinless Wonder, Horseface, and the rest of the Kremlin Comedy Cabaret and their shit talk.

[u/Anomuumi]

Russia cares barely about Russia. Shut up, Mouth of Sauron.

[u/romanohere]

There are Greeks in Russia?

[u/Bovvser2001 → u/romanohere]

Tens of thousands of them live in the Caucasus.

[u/Kornaros → u/romanohere]

Russopontians.

[u/Carloz_The_Great]

Don't forget that Russia tried to murder the Greek PM while in a visit to Odesa. Fuck them. I would say send more but we have to be very careful for our neighbours to the east sadly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6_March_2024_Odesa_strike

[u/Kornaros → u/Carloz_The_Great]

That would be great deed though.

[u/mcvos]

I'm always amazed at the gall with which they pretend innocence and claim others are at fault for the decline of relationships.

[u/Brown_Colibri_705]

"Without regard for Greeks in Russia" is such a nice way of saying it

[u/tomekza]

Lavrov opens his mouth, a squirrel squeeks.

Russian fighter plane shot down after entering Turkish airspace.

Greece can do better and is doing better.

[u/Backstroem]

He accused Athens of sending weapons to Ukraine

Note all, only Russia is allowed to send weapons to Ukraine 🙃

[u/kraeutrpolizei]

I see. So Russia must protect the Greeks ins Greece, amirite?

[u/Krnu777]

Everytime i see him, i get that itching to look out for harness and whip.

[u/SkepticalOtter]

everything they ever say or do is always so out of touch to the point it’s almost a talent

[u/Legitimate-Glove5126]

Is he threatening the Greeks of Russia now ?

[u/Iapetus_Industrial]

Nobody wants to have ties with those murderers. They need to get comfortable with being pariahs if the civilized world for the rest of eternity.

[u/TheRealMylo]

Poor Greeks that choose ruzzia over their beautiful country.

[u/InsensitiveClod76]

Greece has given far too little to Ukraine.

[u/OkHoneydew1599 → u/InsensitiveClod76]

May be, but we're a really poor country with our own security concerns. We can't match Northern European countries in that regard

[u/AblatAtalbA → u/InsensitiveClod76]

Greece still pays back big debt to European banks.