Greece, France renew defense pact, expand strategic cooperation

ATHENS

Greece and France have renewed their defense cooperation agreement and expanded bilateral ties across multiple sectors, as European countries seek to strengthen deterrence amid growing security challenges.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis extended the defense pact, first signed in 2021, for another five years with automatic renewals thereafter during a ceremony at the Maximos Mansion in Athens.

The updated agreement includes a mutual defense assistance clause, under which both countries commit to support each other in the event of a threat to their sovereignty.

The two sides also signed nine agreements covering areas, including education, vocational training, scientific research, innovation, energy, environmental protection, and nuclear technology, marking a broad expansion of strategic cooperation.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Macron said Greece stands on the front line of major European security challenges, while Mitsotakis described the visit as a reaffirmation of the “Greece and France alliance”

Asked about what France would do if Greece’s sovereignty in the Aegean were challenged, Macron said, “We will be there,” referring to a previous Türkiye–Greece escalation in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“If you look at what we did in the summer of 2021, if you look at what we did a few weeks ago in [Greek] Cyprus, for me that is the definition of friendship.”

At that time, Türkiye deployed the research vessel Oruç Reis for exploration in an area it stated was within its continental shelf and issued a NAVTEX notice. During the process, there was a maritime contact between TCG Kemal Reis and HS Limnos.

While Türkiye maintained that its vessel continued its navigation within its own operational plan and rights, Greece put forward a different account of the incident. France deployed an aircraft carrier and Rafale fighter jets to the region in support of Greece.

The extension of the defense agreement between Greece and France coincided with the signing of an agreement between France and Greek Cyprus a day earlier.

The agreement effectively grants French forces permanent deployment rights and NATO-like privileges on Greek Cypriot territory.