Bolstered by Israel defense deal, Greece stokes tensions with Türkiye

Greece’s defense deal with Israel has been followed by a sharper message from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Athens has an “inalienable right” to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean.

At a press conference in Thessaloniki, Mitsotakis said Greece would extend its waters to 12 nautical miles “whenever and however it deems fit,” according to Greek media reports. He also highlighted Greece’s maritime spatial planning, marine parks, surveying and efforts to strengthen its deterrent capability in the Aegean.

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He has been successful to some extent.

The comments came days after Greece signed what the article describes as a historic defense deal with Israel, Türkiye’s archfoe. Professor Ozan Örmeci, a political scientist and general coordinator of the International Political Academy, said the new confidence could disturb the relative calm between Athens and Ankara.

Örmeci said Mitsotakis had spent years pursuing moves that widened Greece’s strategic ties with Western countries. Greece established a trilateral partnership with the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel, sought closer ties with France and expanded its arms program with Rafale aircraft from France, F-35 fighter jets from the United States and Eurofighter Typhoon jets from European countries.

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In recent years, Greek foreign policy has undertaken initiatives that no government has had the courage to implement: maritime spatial planning, the initiative for marine parks, surveying, and the strengthening of our deterrent capability.

He argued that Greece’s stronger military position, combined with support from Israel and the Israeli lobby, had encouraged Mitsotakis’s remarks about the Aegean islands. The Greek prime minister said his government supports dialogue on bilateral issues but would not “ask anyone’s permission on how we will arm ourselves.”

Türkiye and Greece continue to dispute jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean, continental shelves, maritime boundaries, airspace, energy, Cyprus and the status of Aegean islands. The 12-mile dispute reflects different interpretations of international law. Türkiye argues that the principle allowing territorial waters to extend to 12 nautical miles does not apply to the semi-enclosed Aegean Sea, where such a move would sever.

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Ask anyone’s permission on how we will arm ourselves.