Varoufakis Draws Fury in Greece Over Remarks to Turkish State TV

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Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has faced a backlash in Greece after criticising the country’s strategic alliance with Israel during an interview with Turkish state broadcaster TRT, with some social-media users branding him a “traitor” and critics accusing him of providing ammunition to Türkiye.

Varoufakis made the remarks during an interview with TRT World’s Strait Talk, broadcast on September 25, as he discussed Israel, the war in Gaza, Greece’s foreign policy and relations between Athens and Ankara.

The former finance minister questioned the value of Greece’s strategic relationship with Israel even in the event of a Turkish attack.

“Even if you think that Türkiye is about to invade us, do you really think that this strategic alliance with Israel is going to help us militarily?” Varoufakis said in an excerpt circulated by Strait Talk and subsequently shared widely online.

He went on to argue that Israel would not intervene militarily on Greece’s behalf in such circumstances.

Varoufakis also described Israel as an “apartheid” state and criticised the Greek government’s foreign-policy alignment with Israel.

The comments quickly attracted criticism in Greece, particularly because Varoufakis made them on Turkish state television at a time when Greece and Turkey continue to manage longstanding disputes in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

Some Greek social-media users responded by describing Varoufakis as a “traitor” and accusing him of undermining Greek national interests. Greek online commentary also compared his remarks with positions promoted by Ankara, while critics pointed to the prominence given to his comments by Turkish media and social-media accounts.

However, the available reporting does not establish that the criticism represents a broad or uniform view among Greeks. The “traitor” description has appeared as a political accusation and social-media reaction rather than as an established fact.

The controversy also follows a series of similar statements by Varoufakis about Greece’s relationship with Israel and Turkey.

In March, Varoufakis told the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet that Greece had become a “satellite of Israel” and said the country had lost its independence. He also praised Turkey’s diplomatic positioning, arguing that Ankara had maintained relationships with Russia and Ukraine while Greece had aligned itself more closely with Israel and the United States.

The Cyprus Mail reported at the time that Varoufakis described Greece’s relationship with Israel as “shameful” and argued that it harmed Greek interests.

His latest TRT comments have therefore revived an existing political dispute over Greece’s foreign-policy strategy.

Critics argue that his statements provide Ankara with material that can be used to challenge Greece’s strategic partnerships. A Greek commentary report published following the TRT interview said Turkish media and influential accounts had widely circulated Varoufakis’ remarks.

Varoufakis, however, has consistently presented his position as opposition to Greece’s military and strategic alignment with Israel and the United States, rather than support for Turkey. His broader argument calls for Greece and Turkey to reduce tensions and pursue a different regional policy.

The TRT interview also comes as Greece continues to deepen defence and strategic cooperation with Israel, while Athens and Ankara maintain dialogue aimed at managing their longstanding disputes.

Varoufakis remains secretary of MeRA25 and continues to argue that Greece should pursue a more independent foreign policy.

The latest controversy has once again placed the former finance minister at the centre of a highly polarised debate over Greece’s relations with Israel, Turkey and the wider Eastern Mediterranean.

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