Greece has formally submitted a diplomatic protest to Ukraine following an incident involving a drone in the Ionian Sea, according to a briefing provided to diplomatic correspondents.
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis has informed the European Union’s High Representative about the findings of the investigation into the incident. He also discussed the matter with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and raised it directly with his Ukrainian counterpart during a meeting in Limassol.
According to the briefing, Greece delivered both written and verbal protests to Kyiv on May 28 and 29.
In its communication, Athens argued that the drone posed a serious risk to maritime traffic and could have resulted in civilian casualties and significant environmental damage. Greek authorities also stressed that the expansion of military operations into the Mediterranean region could threaten national security and negatively affect the country’s economy.
The protest further stated that Ukraine’s right to self-defense cannot justify actions of this nature and called on Kyiv to refrain from similar activities in the future, as well as from what Greece described as the unjustified transfer of military operations into the Mediterranean.
Athens is now awaiting an official response from Ukraine regarding the incident.
Regional Diplomatic Engagements
The briefing also outlined upcoming diplomatic initiatives by Greece.
The foreign minister is scheduled to begin a tour of the Western Balkans on June 12, with Serbia as the first stop, followed by visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro on June 19. Additional visits to other countries in the region are expected to be announced at a later date.
Meanwhile, a new round of technical talks with western Libya on the delimitation of maritime zones has been scheduled for June 10. A Greek delegation will travel to Tripoli for the discussions.
The briefing also noted that the Patriarch of Jerusalem is expected to visit Athens next week for talks focused on cooperation and support for the Patriarchate and the Christian presence in the region.
