Greece and France are joining forces in the defense sector, creating a strong alliance by extending the strategic partnership and cooperation agreement from 2021. This was announced by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a two-day visit to Athens.
Mitsotakis believes that 5 years ago the two countries “made a historic choice, deciding to join forces, turning the long-term common path into a strong strategic alliance“. According to the Prime Minister, the extension of the agreement “represents an evolution of a multi-layered relationship, rooted in the historical ties of the two countries, based on mutual interests and elements shaped by participation in both the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union“.
“The results in the defense sector are more than evident“, said Mitsotakis. “I am particularly pleased that today we had the opportunity to visit the French frigate “Kimon“ [in the port of Piraeus, Greece], which has just returned from a 40-day deployment off the coast of Cyprus.“ “Two other frigates of the same “Belhara“ class – – – – – Phormion“ will be delivered to Greece in the coming months, and a fourth frigate, “Themistocles“, will be delivered in 2028“, the Prime Minister noted.
“The capabilities of our air force have been significantly strengthened with the delivery of 24 “Rafale“ fighters and, of course, thanks to the multilateral alliance – as an example I would like to mention the agreement signed today for the modernization of the MICA missiles“, continued Mitsotakis. “All this strengthens our deterrence and protects both national and European borders.“
According to the Prime Minister, Greek-French cooperation predates all recent significant geopolitical changes: “I would say that it has proven to be far-sighted and timely in the field of security and stability, and in a sense has become a harbinger of the broader need for strategic autonomy for our entire continent. The French President and I have been discussing this for at least several years in the European Council, touching on the topic of joint [defense] programs and co-productions, as well as interoperability.“
Military assistance commitments
Mitsotakis noted that the frigates ordered by the Greek Navy and those of the French Navy are practically identical. "One fleet learns from the other and the main achievement of these agreements is the commitment to mutual assistance [in case of aggression]. I want to thank Emmanuel again because he confirmed so clearly yesterday that if Greece ever needs France's support, France will be there, which is why today we are taking another important step," the Prime Minister said. "The declaration on the strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Greece and France, which we have just had the opportunity to sign, reflects the scale of our cooperation," he added.
Signed documents
Nine documents were signed before the joint statements by Mitsotakis and Macron. They include an intergovernmental agreement on the continuation of the strategic partnership and cooperation in the field of defense and security, which is designed for five years with the possibility of an indefinite automatic extension; a declaration on the strengthening of the comprehensive strategic partnership; a roadmap for strengthening cooperation between the foreign ministries of the two countries; a declaration of intent between the ministries of education; and an action plan for higher education and research for the period 2026-2030.
The signed documents also include a declaration of intent to establish cooperation in the field of nuclear technologies, an agreement to establish an intergovernmental organization for the development and use of digital ocean systems and information services, a declaration of intent to cooperate in the field of defense research and development, as well as in the field of innovation in defense and military technologies and systems, a framework agreement for the continuation of technical support for the MICA IR/RF missiles, and the first executive contract for 2026 between the Greek Ministry of Defense and MBDA France.