The Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Kotzias is scheduled to travel to Kiev on Thursday, where he has arranged to meet the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkin and members of the National Security Council.
Mr. Kotzias is expected to inform Ukrainian officials that since Athens has good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, it is willing to act as a mediator in order to deescalate the ongoing crisis, in light of the fragile cease fire that was recently agreed upon in Minsk.
Additionally Mr. Kotzias will offer support in composing a new Ukrainian Constitution, with Athens expected to emphasize the protection of minorities and human rights, given the significant Greek expatriate population in Mariupol. During his visit in the Ukrainian capital, Mr. Kotzias will meet with representatives of the Greek expatriate communities and business associations.
On Friday Mr. Kotzias will head to Paris , where he will meet his French counterpart Laurent Fabius. Officially the two are to discuss coordinating actions and initiatives in the Middle East, North Africa and Ukraine, as part of the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation, however the “Greek problem” and finances are almost certain to be debated.
