Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Tassos Hatzivasileiou drew a hard line at the Athens Defence Conference on Monday, stat...

Greece's Deputy Foreign Minister Tassos Hatzivasileiou drew a hard line at the Athens Defence Conference on Monday, stating that any country illegally occupying or threatening an EU member state cannot access Europe's SAFE defense funding instrument or any other EU defense tools. Hatzivsileiou was pointedly referring to Turkey, echoing a position Prime Minister Mitsotakis has stated publicly. As long as Turkey maintains its casus belli threat against Greece and continues its illegal occupation of northern Cyprus, Athens will push to block Ankara from tapping into European defense budgets. Greece supports defense cooperation with partners who share common values, aligned security interests, and respect for EU foreign and security policy priorities. Hatzivsileiou put it plainly, saying Greece wants partners who move in step with European security goals and honor jointly agreed priorities. The deputy minister also outlined Greece's agenda for its EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2027. On defense, Athens will push to strengthen the competitiveness of the European defense industry, build a stronger single market for defense, and boost both public and private investment in the sector. He placed particular emphasis on maritime security as a standalone pillar of the Greek Presidency. Greece, as a world leader in commercial shipping, is positioning itself as the EU's chief advocate for freedom of navigation under international law, including UNCLOS. Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis has already taken significant initiatives at the United Nations on maritime security, Hatzivsileiou noted. The Athens Defence Conference brings together senior officials and security experts to discuss European defense architecture at a moment when the EU is rapidly expanding its collective defense spending and institutional tools. #Greece #EUDefense #Cyprus