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Positive remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara regarding Türkiye's potential acquisition of F-35 fighter jets have sparked concern in Athens, with former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras calling the prospect a "national defeat" for Greece.
Speaking at a panel hosted by the Economist in Greece, Tsipras, leader of the Course of Freedom party (ELAS), said recent developments were cause for serious concern.
"Recent developments raise great concerns. Concern both regarding European security and regarding national security," Tsipras said.
Tsipras criticized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government for abandoning what he described as the multidimensional foreign policy pursued by Greek governments since 1974 in favor of what he called a "blank check" doctrine, an ally willing to say yes to everything.
He recalled that Mitsotakis, while in opposition during the Biden administration, had once criticized Tsipras's own government as "Trumpist" for its positions at the time.
"Where we've arrived today: F-35s, F-16s, Eurofighters, U.S. aircraft engines are being given to Türkiye, and we don't even have the ability to lay a cable to Kastellorizo. Make no mistake, that is the situation. We are in a position where our national security is at risk," Tsipras said.
Tsipras said that during his own time as prime minister, he had made demands of the U.S. in exchange for a five-year agreement on the use of the Souda naval base, and accused Mitsotakis of granting indefinite use rights for six different bases, including Alexandroupoli, without similar conditions.
On Trump's positive remarks regarding Türkiye's F-35 prospects, Tsipras said: "I characterize this as a national defeat," pointing to what he described as a string of Turkish successes, acquiring F-16s, F-35s and Eurofighters, and reaching a maritime boundary agreement with Libya.
According to Greek news site news247, Tsipras also said the NATO summit developments had "vindicated" the criticism he had voiced, describing a "new balance of power" in which the U.S. was shifting its attention toward the Pacific and transferring the burden of responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine onto Europe, while Europe itself failed to articulate a diplomatic strategy or rise to the moment.
On Ukraine specifically, Tsipras said he would keep "certain corridors open" for a diplomatic solution and would not place Greece among the countries at the "hard core of anti-Russian hysteria," arguing that Europe's strategic interest lay in a diplomatic resolution to the war.
Following the first day of the NATO summit, Greek media coverage focused heavily on Trump's praise for Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with his remarks on F-35s and CAATSA sanctions characterized as major Turkish gains.
Kathimerini reported, in a story headlined "Athens Uneasy Over Developments," that Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias told visiting members of the U.S. Congress that Türkiye's acquisition of F-35s could have serious consequences for regional stability and security.
The delegation, led by Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and including Sen. John Cornyn and Reps. Joe Wilson, Lloyd Doggett, Andy Harris, Mark Messmer, Greg Murphy and Jake Ellzey, also met separately with Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, who conveyed Greece's concerns over the prospect of Türkiye acquiring the jets, according to Kathimerini.
The newspaper reported that in both meetings, the American lawmakers reportedly made no comment that could be interpreted as taking a position on the F-35 issue, according to what it described as "well-informed sources."
Kathimerini said Greece had until now maintained a relatively balanced public stance on the matter, treating it as a bilateral U.S.-Türkiye issue, but wrote that the new situation requires Athens to press its views through every available channel, while noting Greece lacks meaningful leverage over Washington under the current administration.
The paper noted that it had reported as early as April 2025 that Washington's intention to allow Türkiye's return to the F-35 program had been directly communicated to Greek officials, without any subsequent signal from the Pentagon of a change of course.
Ta Nea reported that an unnamed veteran diplomat told the paper that Trump's praise for Erdogan was key to understanding the trajectory of relations between the two countries, saying, "This is where the problem starts for Athens. It sees two allies growing closer, Türkiye entering Europe's security architecture, and wanting to play a role in the Middle East. Unlike the Europeans, who have often disappointed Trump, (Türkiye) appears ready to send forces wherever asked."
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