The National Security Council (CYSEA) convened on Thursday, 23 July 2026, at the Maximos Mansion under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The meeting featured a high-priority agenda centred on defence procurement programmes totalling €4.2 billion.
‘Achilles Shield’ Takes Centre Stage
At the heart of the discussions were the weapon systems slated for integration into Greece’s national air and missile defence initiative, the ‘Achilles Shield’. These systems had not yet received final formal approval prior to the meeting. Defence Minister Nikos Dendias presented the procurement proposals, which CYSEA subsequently approved.
According to official sources, the procurement plan draws on lessons from recent armed conflicts and aims to strengthen the protection of Greek Armed Forces against emerging threats—including unmanned aerial systems.
Greek Industrial Participation Secured
In parallel, behind-the-scenes negotiations between Greece and Israel have been underway regarding the level of involvement of the Greek defence industry in the ‘Achilles Shield’ programme. A longstanding condition set by Athens is that domestic participation must reach at least 25%, ensuring a significant share of production and technological expertise remains in Greece.
Broad Strategic Decisions
Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis briefed CYSEA members on recent international developments, with particular focus on the situation in Iran and escalating tensions across the Middle East.
The Council also approved the National Strategy for the Resilience of Critical Entities for 2026–2030—a framework designed to bolster the protection of critical infrastructure and essential services against modern threats and potential crises.
Migration Update
Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plévrhis provided an update on the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. Sources from the Maximos Mansion report a notable decline in migration flows, alongside an increase in returns.