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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declined to comment directly on remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Türkiye's potential purchase of F-35 fighter jets, saying instead that all NATO allies' sensitivities must be taken into account.
Asked by a journalist whether Türkiye's growing influence within NATO, combined with the apparent openness of the U.S. president to allowing Türkiye to purchase F-35 jets, was upsetting the balance in the Eastern Mediterranean, Mitsotakis said: "I will not comment on the statements made yesterday by President Trump and President Erdogan. All I can say is that an alliance must be based on the fundamental principle of good neighborly relations. And I think we must be aware that my country still faces an open threat of war from Türkiye at a time when we exercise our legal right to expand our territorial waters; the sensitivities of all NATO allies must be taken into account. After all, we are a defensive alliance, and I am confident that these unresolved issues can be solved in the spirit of good neighborly relations and cooperation."
Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Ankara on the second day of the NATO summit, Mitsotakis stressed that alliance cohesion is directly tied to respect for good neighborly relations and attention to the concerns of all member states.
He told reporters that Greece continues to face what he described as an existing Turkish threat of war, or casus belli, should Athens exercise its legal right to expand its territorial waters, saying this makes it necessary to take every ally's sensitivities into account.
He said he remains confident that outstanding issues can be approached in a spirit of cooperation, describing himself as a firm supporter of good relations with the neighboring country.
"My country faces a continuous threat of war from Türkiye. We must remain vigilant, and the sensitivities of all allies must be taken into account. I am certain these issues can be resolved in a spirit of cooperation and good neighborliness," Mitsotakis said.
Turning to the summit's agenda, Mitsotakis said discussions were focused on the fair distribution of defense burdens among allies.
He recalled that pressure on European countries to take on a greater share of responsibility had already emerged during Trump's first term, and said Europe has since mobilized in that direction.
He voiced support for European Union strategic autonomy, describing it not as a rival pole to NATO but as a strong European pillar that strengthens the alliance as a whole.
Regarding Greece's own contributions, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that the country already allocates 3.5% of its gross domestic product to defense. He noted that Greece consistently met this target even during the height of its economic crisis.
He said Greece, with a €25B ($28.5B) armed forces modernization program underway, now ranks among the alliance's top five in defense investment.
"We are currently implementing a €25 billion modernization program for our Armed Forces. My country is located in a particularly sensitive geopolitical region, facing significant security challenges. We have always maintained our commitment to NATO defense spending, even during periods of deep economic austerity, and today we are one of the five countries leading the alliance in defense spending," he said.
Mitsotakis also addressed the situation in the Middle East, expressing hope that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran would hold.
"We hope that we will not see a new escalation in the region," he said, stressing the importance of giving diplomacy the space it needs and warning that any renewed escalation could drive up oil prices, further straining the cost of living for European citizens.
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