Arriving at the NATO summit in The Hague, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis underlined Greece’s steadfast commitment to the Alliance, particularly in terms of defense spending, as he called for equitable burden-sharing among member states.

Speaking ahead of high-level discussions focused on collective defense and rising global security challenges, Mitsotakis emphasized that Greece is not only meeting its NATO obligations — it is exceeding them.

Greece Spends Over 3% of GDP on Defense

“Let me start by saying that Greece already spends more than 3% of its GDP on defense,” the prime minister said. “We have consistently surpassed the 2% benchmark — even during the financial crisis.”

He noted that Greece plans to invest more than €25 billion in defense over the next 20 years, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the Alliance.

A Call for Fair Burden-Sharing

Mitsotakis welcomed the growing consensus within NATO on the need to increase defense budgets, stating: “It is important that we all agree on strengthening our defense spending. I am a firm advocate for Europe enhancing its contribution to the collective defense of the Alliance.”

He stressed the importance of balance and fairness in how NATO’s 32 member states share responsibilities. “Our goal should be a just and balanced distribution of the burden. This is an alliance built on equal responsibility and mutual trust — and that principle must apply to all members,” he added.