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🇬🇷 Greece /Conflict & Security

Mitsotakis: Greece Will Not Accept Instructions on Strengthening Its Defenses

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece would continue strengthening its defenses without accepting instructions from other countries.
  • He urged the European Union to consider what he described as a recent escalation of Turkish challenges in the Aegean when assessing Turkey’s participation in the SAFE defense program.
  • Mitsotakis said Turkey’s European path must coincide with respect for international law, Greek sovereignty and good-neighborly relations.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis delivered a firm message on Athens’ right to decide how it strengthens its defenses, while placing Turkish actions in the Aegean at the center of his argument.

Mitsotakis referred to the conditions for participation in the European SAFE defense program. He stressed that the program must not harm the security interests of member states and told European Council President António Costa that the recent escalation of Turkish challenges, particularly in the Aegean, should be taken into account.

I remind you that a condition for participation in the SAFE program is that the security interests of member states are not harmed. I should also inform the president about the recent escalation of Turkish challenges, especially in the Aegean.

· Kyriakos MitsotakisThe Greek prime minister addressed the SAFE program and Turkey’s activity in the Aegean.

He also tied Turkey’s European prospects to its respect for international law and its willingness to build good-neighborly relations. “There can be no active threat of war and questioning of Greek sovereignty by a country that expects its relations with the European Union to improve,” he said.

There can be no active threat of war and questioning of Greek sovereignty by a country that expects its relations with the European Union to improve.

· Kyriakos MitsotakisHe linked Turkey’s European prospects to its conduct toward Greece.

Mitsotakis added that Greece wants to support Turkey’s European path, but said that path cannot be separated from better relations between neighbors. He presented Greece as a peaceful country that poses no threat, while insisting that Athens would retain control over its defense policy.

“My country is a peaceful country that poses a threat to no one. But it will not accept instructions from anyone on how it will strengthen its defenses,” Mitsotakis said. The statement signaled that Greece intends to continue investing in its deterrence capabilities despite objections or guidance from others.

My country is a peaceful country that poses a threat to no one. But it will not accept instructions from anyone on how it will strengthen its defenses.

· Kyriakos MitsotakisMitsotakis defended Greece’s autonomy over its defense policy.
About this summary

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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