Greece and Turkey, both NATO members, fought a bloody war between 1919-1922, and the two have come close to blows in the more recent past owing to territorial disputes in the Agean.

They have also clashed over energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean, Aegean airspace, and the situation in Cyprus.

However, following their respective re-elections, both leaders have actively pursued measures to mend ties, highlighted by Erdoğan’s visit to Athens last December.

This visit marked a significant thaw in relations, culminating in the “Declaration of Athens” which outlined a roadmap for cooperation and conflict resolution.

First visit in 5 years

During Mitsotakis’s upcoming visit, which is his first to Ankara in five years, the agenda will cover a broad range of topics from technology and tourism to counter-terrorism and migration.

A key development will be the establishment of a “Joint Business Council” aimed at fostering closer economic collaboration between the Turkish and Greek business communities.

Both leaders have expressed optimism about the potential for enhanced bilateral relations.

“What we can change is our perspective: Instead of seeing a riddle that cannot be solved, we should focus on strengthening a positive agenda and seek cooperation between our two countries and our peoples,” Mitsotakis told a Turkish newspaper on Sunday.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Erdoğan speaking to a Greek paper, said that the main goal was to “raise the level of our (Greek-Turkish) bilateral relations to unprecedented heights”, adding that both countries had many issues they could agree on while seeking solutions to their problems.