Greece reiterates opposition to Türkiye’s participation in EU defense scheme SAFE

Greece on Monday reaffirmed its opposition to Türkiye’s participation in the EU defense scheme Security Action for Europe (SAFE).

Speaking at joint press statement following his meeting with visiting EU Council President Antonio Costa, Greek Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that “third countries which threaten EU members (with) war” cannot participate in the scheme, in reference to the Turkish Parliament’s resolution in 1995, warning Greece against unilateral actions on the Aegean Sea.

"I believe it is up to them to build good relations with Europe, but this also requires respect for its principles,” he said.

SAFE, adopted by EU leaders in May, will provide competitively priced, long-term loans to accelerate urgent defense procurement.

It forms part of the European Commission's ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, aiming to mobilize over €800 billion in defense spending.

While the loans will only be available to EU member states, Ukraine and EEA-EFTA countries will also be eligible to participate in joint procurement under the scheme.

On the latest developments in the Middle East, caused by Israel’s expansionist and unlawful actions in Gaza, the West Bank and Qatar, Mitsotakis reiterated the country’s concerns over what he said was an “impermissible violation of Qatar's territorial sovereignty” by Israel and called for restraint and avoidance of further escalation in Gaza.

Costa, for his part, also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as well as an end to the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

The EU Council president also repeated his support for the two-state solution for the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Israeli army has continued a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 65,000 Palestinians since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.