Μake us preferred on Google Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a clear message to Ankara from the Maximos Mansion on Monday, linking Turkey’s provocations in the Aegean to its EU accession path and to the terms of participation in the bloc’s SAFE defense program.
Speaking alongside European Council President António Costa, the Greek PM said Greece would continue strengthening its defenses according to its own security needs. He briefed Costa on the recent escalation in Greek-Turkish tensions, driven by Turkish moves in the Aegean and new Turkish plans for marine parks, and framed the issue in a European context, saying the behavior of a candidate country toward the EU is inseparable from its membership prospects. Respect for international law and good-neighborly relations, he said, is a precondition for any candidate country’s European path, adding that active threats of war and challenges to Greek sovereignty are incompatible with a country seeking closer ties with the EU.
On the SAFE program, which finances Europe’s defense industry and member states’ defense capabilities, Mitsotakis said a core condition for any third country’s participation must be that it does not undermine the security interests of member states. He said Europe needs a unified shield against threats from any direction, and that funding for defending “every inch” of the continent should likewise be unified — adding that SAFE was a step in the right direction, but Europe needs more, and must be careful in choosing its partners.
Mitsotakis reiterated that Greece is a peaceful country that poses no threat to anyone but will not accept orders from anyone on how to strengthen its own defenses. He also raised the EU’s next long-term budget, energy market integration, and the need for bold action on artificial intelligence to keep Europe competitive.
