By

Dr. Vassilis Kappis

Lecturer, Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies,

University of Buckingham

Chair: Evie Zambetakis

Director, Eastern Mediterranean Studies Initiative (EMSI)

Abstract

 For the first time since the onset of the Cold War, the Eastern Mediterranean appears to be geopolitically contested. Russia’s re-emergence as a great power is only now affecting the region in a meaningful way, as the Syrian conflict showcases. At the same time, the aftermath of the Arab Spring and the refugee crisis delineate the volatile posture of the Arab countries involved and showcase the vulnerability of the European south, with Greece, Turkey, Italy and Cyprus deeply affected by the shifting geopolitical tectonic plates. The influence of NATO and the EU across the Eastern Mediterranean, finally, appears to be anaemic, failing thus far to offer a comprehensive vision. The presentation will highlight these dynamics in an effort to ascertain the region’s future outlook in terms of both stability and geopolitical orientation.