Greek PM dismisses war fears with Türkiye

ATHENS

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said his government does not foresee a military conflict with Türkiye, while stressing that Greece will continue to bolster its defense capabilities to safeguard its sovereignty.

Speaking to Greek media, Mitsotakis dismissed suggestions of an imminent war as unfounded but said Athens has a responsibility to maintain a strong deterrent posture.

“We do not foresee war in any way,” he said. “However, we are obliged to strengthen our deterrent capabilities so that no one even considers challenging Greek sovereignty.”

He emphasized that Greece would not seek approval from other countries for its defense policies, drawing a comparison with Türkiye’s own military decisions.

At the same time, he underlined the importance of preserving communication channels between the two neighbors and preventing tensions from escalating.

Addressing relations with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Mitsotakis said that if the two leaders were to hold a private meeting during a NATO summit, he would reiterate Greece’s long-standing position that the only outstanding bilateral dispute is the delimitation of maritime boundaries in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean.

He said Athens is prepared to discuss that issue once all other matters are taken off the agenda, stressing that his government has no intention of negotiating any additional disputes.

Mitsotakis also pointed to what he described as improved conditions in the eastern Aegean, highlighting a decline in migrant arrivals and an increase in Turkish tourism to the Greek islands.