Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias issued a stark warning about Turkey’s neo-Ottoman ambitions and its growing list of territorial claims, asserting that Greece must confront these challenges with both diplomatic firmness and military readiness.
Speaking at the “Metapolitefsi 1974-2024: 50 Years of Greek Foreign Policy” conference in Athens, Mr. Dendias declared, “We must talk with Turkey, but we always bring up the unacceptable aspects of Turkish positions,” emphasizing that Ankara’s actions are eroding stability in the region.
Mr. Dendias accused Turkey of systematically expanding its agenda against Greece while embracing policies reminiscent of an imperial past.
The remarks underscore a deepening mistrust between the two NATO allies and place Greece's foreign policy on a collision course with Turkish revisionism. His comments highlight Athens’ long-standing struggle to counterbalance diplomatic engagement with a staunch defense of its sovereignty.
On the military front, Dendias called for a dramatic shift in Greece’s defense strategy, urging modernization to address contemporary threats.
“A structure of forces based on a Napoleon-like approach showed us, in Ukraine for instance, that it’s not only yesteryear, but the year before that,” he said, advocating for agility and technology-driven reforms. A key initiative, he revealed, involves developing an anti-drone system akin to Israel’s Iron Dome, a crucial step as unmanned aerial systems become central to modern warfare.
Dismissing criticism of Greece’s defense spending, Mr. Dendias pointed to the scale of the threat posed by Turkey, arguing, “We must see what the threat is, and what [the other side] spends on defense, in order to see whether what we’re spending is high or low.”
His comments serve as a rebuke to those questioning Greece’s significant investments in military capabilities.
Mr. Dendias’ remarks are a forceful reminder of the challenges Greece faces in an increasingly unstable region, outlining a hard-nosed strategy that combines diplomatic resilience with a modernized military to counter external threats.