Speaking at the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Kyriakos Mitsotakis declined to directly comment on statements by US President Donald Trump and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding Turkey’s potential return to the F-35 programme.
Instead, Mitsotakis framed the issue in terms of alliance cohesion and “good-neighborly relations,” saying NATO must take into account the sensitivities of all member states. He said Greece continues to face what he described as an open threat of war from Turkey if Athens exercises its legal right to extend its territorial waters.
The Greek prime minister added that NATO is meant to operate as a defensive alliance and expressed confidence that outstanding disputes within the alliance can be resolved through dialogue and cooperation, while emphasizing mutual respect among allies.
The remarks come amid renewed debate over whether the United States would reverse a ban on Turkey acquiring F-35s after Ankara was removed from the programme following its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air-defense system. Greece has argued the decision would affect the military balance in the Eastern Mediterranean and wider NATO cohesion.
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