Speaking ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declined to comment on recent statements by former U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. When asked about the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, he emphasized that “a military alliance must be grounded in the fundamental principle of good neighborly relations.”
“I will not comment on yesterday’s remarks by Presidents Trump and Erdoğan,” Mitsotakis said. “All I can say is that any alliance must rest on the foundational principle of good neighborly relations. At a time when my country faces a casus belli from Turkey — should we exercise our legal right to extend our territorial waters — it must be clear that the sensitivities of all NATO members must be taken into account. After all, NATO is a defensive alliance, and I am confident these outstanding issues can be resolved in the spirit of cooperation and good neighborly relations.”
Addressing broader themes of the summit, Mitsotakis noted the gathering takes place amid heightened global uncertainty. He recalled how, during his first term, Trump urged European allies to shoulder a larger share of defense spending — a call Greece has already answered. “We support European defense autonomy, not as a rival to NATO, but as a complementary effort,” he said.
He highlighted Greece’s commitment to the alliance: the country already spends 3.5% of its GDP on defense and is actively modernizing its armed forces under a major upgrade program. “Greece has fulfilled its NATO defense spending pledge,” he affirmed.
On regional tensions, Mitsotakis expressed hope for the continuation of the ceasefire and stressed the need for time and diplomacy to resolve what he described as a complex and sensitive issue. “We remain hopeful that no new escalation will occur in the region,” he concluded.