Mitsotakis makes rare visit to Greece’s easternmost island

ATHENS

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (AP Photo)

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has visited the easternmost Greek island of Kastellorizo, known as Meis in Turkish and located just around 1 nautical mile off Türkiye’s coast, in a rare trip seen by observers as carrying a powerful political message amid renewed tensions between the two neighbors.

Mitsotakis concluded a three-day tour of the region on Sept. 13, during which he also visited the Greek islets of Ro and Strongyli, part of the Kastellorizo island complex.

He inspected military outposts and met with members of the armed forces and conscripts stationed on the islands.

The visit has also been interpreted by some as a political show of strength ahead of Greece’s general elections scheduled for May 2027.

The Greek government, however, has rejected suggestions that the trip was linked to the current tensions or intended to send a message to neighboring countries.

Kastellorizo has long been a source of dispute between Ankara and Athens, not only because of its proximity to the Turkish coast and its potential implications for maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern
Mediterranean, but also over its demilitarized status.

Türkiye maintains that the island should remain demilitarized under the provisions of the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, which Ankara says covers Kastellorizo. Turkish officials have repeatedly argued that Greece’s deployment of weapons and military personnel to the island violates the treaty.

The visit comes as the two countries have again found themselves at odds over maritime rights in recent months. Tensions have risen over Türkiye’s declaration of marine parks, including one near the coastal town of Kaş opposite Kastellorizo, as well as Mitsotakis’ warning that Greece could consider expanding its territorial waters — a move that could further complicate the two countries’ already contentious maritime boundaries.