Greek PM Mitsotakis Doubts Resolution of Disputes with Turkey, Emphasizes Need for Defense Investments

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who has been instrumental in improving relations with Ankara, expressed scepticism about resolving Greece’s longstanding issues with Türkiye. He emphasized the need for continued investment in Greece’s armed forces, suggesting that such investments would be unnecessary if a resolution were likely shortly.

Mitsotakis made these comments during a press briefing at the Thessaloniki International Fair, ahead of his upcoming meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the U.N. General Assembly in New York. He acknowledged the challenges in the rapprochement process with Türkiye but noted that Greece remains focused on positive developments.

He pointed out that Turkey’s stance on the “Blue Homeland” doctrine, which concerns Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean maritime zones, continues to pose a challenge. The “Blue Homeland” doctrine refers to Türkiye’s claims over its maritime territories, which have been a source of conflict with Greece. Both nations have accused each other of violating maritime borders.

“If we were confident that we could resolve our issues with Türkiye in the coming decades, we wouldn’t need to invest so heavily in our armed forces,” Mitsotakis said.

Despite heightened tension over issues like irregular migration, the Cyprus dispute, energy exploration, and territorial sovereignty in the Aegean, Türkiye and Greece have been building confidence and normalising relations. This effort took a significant step forward with President Erdoğan’s visit to Athens in December, during which both countries announced a friendship declaration, visa facilitation for Turkish citizens to visit 10 Greek islands in the northern Aegean for up to seven days, and a decrease in the flow of irregular migrants to Greece.

Although both sides are committed to maintaining the positive momentum, the issues are deep-rooted and complex, and neither side anticipates a smooth path forward. This is particularly true in the Aegean, where there have been frequent encounters between Turkish and Greek jets.

In January, Ankara and Athens signed deals with Washington for fighter jets, raising concerns about potential new conflicts in the region.

Türkiye has cautioned Greece against an arms race, particularly regarding military presence on disputed Aegean islands, which Turkey argues violates postwar treaties.

Greece’s acquisition of F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. and increased defence budgets are seen as measures to protect against potential threats from Türkiye. While Greece asserts that these steps are necessary for defending its islands, Turkish officials have warned that continued militarization could lead to further disputes over the ownership of these territories.

Source: GCT–Bill Kouras