Speaking at the presentation of his new book Ithaca in Kozani on Saturday, March 7, 2026, former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras delivered a sharp political critique—calling current Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ‘the court jester of King Trump’ and labeling his government ‘irresponsible and dangerous’.
A Dystopian Reality in the Middle East
Tsipras described recent developments in the Middle East as dystopian, citing images of horror broadcast live, the killing of schoolgirls, and escalating war cries. ‘The brutality of war is reaching us—Greece and Cyprus,’ he said. ‘We are entering an era of generalized instability. Every bomb, every missile threatens all our lives, our right to security and peace.’
He accused Israel and the United States of being ‘the authors’ of this unfolding chapter in human history—and pointed to the return of Donald Trump as marking a shift toward unvarnished aggression. ‘We’ve seen these images again—reaching their peak in Gaza,’ he stressed.
Criticism of Greece’s Foreign Policy Stance
Tsipras criticized Greece’s official silence on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling the prime minister ‘first and foremost’ among European leaders unwilling to speak out against what he termed genocide. He contrasted Europe’s open welcome for Ukrainian refugees with its closed borders to the 15 million Syrians who fled conflict—many of whom sought safety in Greece and Cyprus.
‘The U.S.-Israeli attack is illegal—it violates the principles of international law,’ Tsipras asserted. Yet, he added, Mitsotakis ‘doesn’t dare utter a word.’ Instead, Tsipras claimed, the Greek government prioritizes maritime security and regional stability by focusing on Iran’s nuclear program—ignoring diplomatic alternatives.
“Mitsotakis as Trump’s Court Jester”
Tsipras recalled how Mitsotakis had previously criticized Trump during Joe Biden’s presidency—calling ‘Trumpism’ a slur and using it to attack Tsipras himself. ‘Today, he appears as the court jester of the king, begging for a sympathetic glance from the monarch who writes his name in the dust of his own shoes,’ Tsipras said.
He went on to label Mitsotakis’s approach as ‘dangerously irresponsible’—particularly when it comes to courting foreign patrons instead of pursuing independent, principled diplomacy. ‘We are the realists—not them,’ Tsipras insisted.
Cyprus and NATO: A Warning
On Cyprus, Tsipras warned that the ongoing war in the region should serve as a ‘wake-up call’ to push for a federal solution based on UN resolutions. ‘Only such a solution can guarantee lasting peace and stability,’ he said. In contrast, he warned that Cyprus’s potential accession to NATO would only heighten regional risks.
Book Presentation in Kozani
The event took place at the Pontic Cultural Centre in Kozani. Discussions on the historical and political significance of Ithaca featured speakers including civil engineer Sokratis Vatalis, educator Evgenia Gaki, former regional governor and journalist Theodoros Karypidis, and filmmaker-author Themis Moumoulidis.