“Europe considers the relationship with the United States strategic and appreciates that the American side understands the importance of this interconnection not only in trade but also in the geopolitical field,” said Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Tasos Hadjivassiliou in an interview with CNN and journalist Jim Sciutto.

Hadjivassiliou, who is in New York, said that “we are entering a new geopolitical and geoeconomic period and trade wars are unnecessary.” Regarding the negotiations between the European Union and the United States on trade, the Deputy Minister described as positive the 90-day “breathing space” that has been given, something that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has also pointed out, stressing that “this is the right time to seek a mutually beneficial agreement, even with zero tariffs, to maintain the strong transatlantic relationship.”

In response to a question, the Deputy Minister stressed that “Greece and its businesses are ready to play an active role in the reconstruction of Ukraine, either independently or through international cooperation with friendly countries”. At the same time, he recalled that he recently visited Kiev where he witnessed the extent of the destruction, noting that “Ukrainians are in dire need of basic infrastructure, such as power plants, hospitals, roads, ports and airports”.In the same context, he noted that many Greek companies with international experience have expressed interest in contributing to the design and implementation of rehabilitation projects, in the context of the wider European project. “This is now the top priority for Ukraine,” he said.

Referring to the issue of European support, he made it clear that “no peace can be achieved without Kiev at the negotiating table.” At the same time, he pointed out that “the European Union has decided to invest more in common defense, sending a signal of readiness to defend its principles, in full compatibility with NATO.”