Greece should take on the role traditionally played by Russia in the Caucasus, sending armed forces to Armenia. Such a move, if implemented, would mean a radical reversal of the geopolitical balance in the region, with direct consequences for Athens-Ankara relations, NATO and Greece’s diplomatic and geopolitical identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Such a choice would constitute a high-level strategic opportunity and strengthening of allied influence, simultaneously creating new options for maintaining and acquiring new geopolitical spheres of influence for NATO, while also offering a channel of communication and assurance with Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Greece, for its part, should seize this opportunity and implement this specific proposal. Its unofficial neutrality towards Russia would be a reason for Greece’s acceptance by Russia if Greece were to assume this role. At the same time, NATO would have to reinforce Greece with the necessary military equipment in order to be able to conduct military operations unhindered at such remote distances from Greece (in case such a thing should be done).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, Greece has a border with Turkey (sea and land). If Turkey were to cause a problem for the Greek army that will be stationed as a security guarantor on the Turkish-Armenian border, Turkey would be immediately attacked by Greece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reason for this proposal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n American and Turkish lobbyists in Washington continue to criticize the presence of Russian troops in Armenia, presenting it as proof that Armenia is a Russian satrapy, hostile to Western interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a claim that is false from the outset and unhistorical. The Red Army established a military base in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, at the end of World War II, to house the 261st Infantry Division. After the start of the Cold War, Soviet Armenia and the Nakhichevan border with Turkey were one of only two places where the Soviet Union bordered a NATO country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moscow renamed the unit first the 37th Infantry Division and then the 127th Mechanized Infantry Division. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia renamed the Gyumri facility the 102nd Military Base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its mission remains to guard the Armenian-Turkish border. The 2018 Velvet Revolution in Armenia undermined traditional Russian influence in the country. Russia\u2019s failure to protect the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijani attacks in 2020 and 2023 has deepened popular distrust of Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, the Russian base in Gyumri is particularly unpopular among residents due to the misbehavior of Russian soldiers, culminating in the January 2015 killing of an Armenian family of seven by Valery Permyakov.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Armenians were outraged that Russian forces refused to hand him over to Armenian authorities, insisting that any trial would take place within the base. Furthermore, Permyakov is serving a life sentence in Russia, not Armenia, which has added to the resentment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although his crime was the most heinous, such incidents are the rule rather than the exception: Armenians complain that Russian soldiers engage in delinquent behavior. In August 2025, Armenian protesters gathered outside the Gyumri base, demanding its closure and a complete Russian withdrawal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such a withdrawal seems to be a matter of time, given Armenia\u2019s turn to the West, the lack of Russian military personnel, and Moscow\u2019s needs on other fronts. Although the base\u2019s lease expires in 2044, it is unlikely that Russian forces will remain until then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Armenians wish to distance themselves from Russia, they are concerned about the security of their borders. Turkey, with its revisionist and expansionist policies, seeks to redraw borders and rewrite centuries-old treaties. Ankara’s refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide means that, rather than delegitimizing extreme tendencies to eliminate Armenia and Armenians, the Turkish government is cultivating and reinforcing such beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turning to Greece<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As Russia withdraws, Armenia will have to turn to Greece to replace it. As a NATO member, Turkey\u2019s complaints about a Greek force deployment would fall on deaf ears outside Ankara. Turkey\u2019s push to deploy troops to Gaza undermines any argument it might make about historical burdens or the inappropriateness of Greek troops on its borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As co-victims of a genocide committed by Turkey, Greeks approach Armenia with sympathy and understand its fears. While Russia would resent any replacement, Greek Orthodoxy\u2019s ties to the Armenian and Russian Churches would override cultural differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Armenian government, committed to its country\u2019s security and defense, should not stop in Greece. As President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio seek to promote peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has opposed any role for European observers in monitoring the border and the lines of control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump and Rubio could circumvent the letter, if not the spirit, of Aliyev\u2019s fabricated concerns by assigning Indian peacekeepers to help monitor and patrol the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. If Aliyev truly values \u200b\u200bpeace, he will have no reason to complain about the Indian presence: the Indians have experienced peacekeepers, and their army is capable of patrolling mountainous and harsh terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Azerbaijan\u2019s own contracting with Pakistani mercenaries makes any complaints about Indian observers hypocritical. Azerbaijan\u2019s invasion, the Russians\u2019 cynicism, Turkey\u2019s willingness to trample on rights and treaties, and Azerbaijan\u2019s demand for the dissolution of the Minsk Group may seem like obstacles to peace and security, but they also open up new opportunities \u2014 if Armenian diplomats and the Armenian diaspora abroad claim them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The future of Armenia\u2019s border security lies less in peace with Ankara and Baku, and more in cooperation with Greece and India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Israel in Cyprus<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, Israel should replace the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus while also qualifying the Greek leadership for a similar mission in Armenia. Turkey\u2019s military occupation of the northern part of Cyprus has now entered its sixth decade, calling for the replacement of the existing UN force (UNFICYP) with Israeli peacekeepers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Israel and Cyprus are the most suitable partners for ensuring regional stability, as they are democratic allies with strong economic and defense ties, as well as interoperable military forces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Greece should take on the role traditionally played by Russia in the Caucasus, sending armed forces to Armenia. 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