Mitsotakis: The path to strengthening European defence opens

The Prime Minister also notes that he was among the first to support this direction and had analysed his positions at all summits with which the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leien, agrees. CORVERSE All the Prime Minister’s post “Returning from Brussels, where with my European counterparts we discussed ways to strengthen our collective defence, I was pleased to learn the statements made by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen: the President of the Commission said it was ready to explore ways of fiscal flexibility in order to increase defence expenditure under the Union’s new Stability Pact. I was one of the first to support this direction, long before it came to the fore. I recall that I have analysed it at all European summits. And so did I in the Financial Times before the informal Monday session, where I once again argued that the time for common European defence has come. With President Tusk, in fact, we have signed a special letter, as early as May 2024, calling for the single anti-aircraft shield of our continent to be financed. CORVERSE It seems that the road to strengthening European defence is now opening up, with more and more forces recognising its necessity. In a world uncertain and unstable, Europe is called upon to claim its position in terms of security and progress. And for this to happen, a wider budgetary area is necessary, which will allow Member States to spend on their protection without questioning their economic perspective. We want a strong Greece in Europe and a strong Europe for Greece. It is time to act.”