German chancellor Angela Merkel is on her final official trip to a country that has not always welcomed her. Ties with Athens “went through ups and downs,” Merkel said.
Chancellor Angela Merkel is paying a final visit to Greece before she steps down as head of the German government.
On Friday, she’s holding talks with Greek leaders on an array of issues, ranging from energy policy, the coronavirus pandemic and immigration to Greece’s tense relations with neighboring Turkey over territorial disputes and drilling rights in the eastern Mediterranean.
After meeting Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Merkel said relations with Athens “went through ups and downs, but are based on solid foundations.”
“What gave us strength during this period… was that we always had the feeling that we belong together,” the outgoing chancellor said.
Sakellaropoulou said, “there were times of difficulty and tension.”
“The financial crisis that many countries of Europe faced put mainly Greece, which was called on to pay a heavy price, in a difficult position. It was an unprecedented situation … and Greece felt — we justifiably often felt alone.”
But subsequent experiences, including Germany’s help during the 2015 migration crisis, had “contributed to mutual understanding,” the Greek president said.