Greece wants deeper ties with both Israel and Arab countries, premier says
Summary
Greece wants to strengthen its defense partnership with Israel while also improving ties with other Middle Eastern countries. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized Greece’s defense spending and plans to work closely with Saudi Arabia and Egypt amid regional security concerns.Key Facts
- Greece and Israel have close defense and energy cooperation, especially due to worries about Turkey.
- They recently signed a deal for Israel to build an air defense system in Greece worth 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion).
- Greece spends at least 3.5% of its GDP on defense, partly because of ongoing tensions with Turkey over sea borders.
- Greece will receive its first 20 F-35 fighter jets in 2028 and may buy 20 more.
- Greece opposes selling F-35 jets to Turkey due to legal issues connected with Turkey’s purchase of Russian missile systems.
- The Greek prime minister plans to visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt to discuss cooperation.
- Greece has had an air defense battery in Saudi Arabia since 2021 and helped intercept missiles targeting Saudi oil facilities.
- The new defense deal between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey does not change Greece’s relationship with Saudi Arabia.
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