French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a joint statement against Turkey’s provocations.
In brief speeches to reporters before a working dinner at the Elysee Palace on Monday evening, the two leaders stressed the importance of the strategic partnership agreement between Greece and France.
“This strategic partnership will not allow unrest in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Macron said, while Mitsotakis noted that “together we are stronger.”
“We fully support the sovereignty of Greece,” Macron added, noting that full cooperation in the field of foreign and defense policy and armaments (buying arms from France in the amount of more than 6 billion euros) is now more important in the face of challenges.
He expressed satisfaction with his country’s cooperation with Greece in the field of defense and security, and also called “unacceptable” statements and provocations against the territorial integrity of Greece. Macron stressed that France fully supports Greece and that “cooperation between the two countries comes from afar and goes far ahead.”
On the issue of increasing Turkish provocations, Mitsotakis said: “I will share with President Macron some thoughts on the increasing Turkish provocations in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. I thank him for his clear support for my country. We are ready to respond to challenges, and those who threatens us and says that one night they will suddenly attack our islands, we say that we are waiting for them in the light of day, where it will be seen which side international law is on.”
Mitsotakis also mentioned the signing last year of an agreement on a multi-level strategic partnership between the two countries, stressing that it contributes to strengthening strategic autonomy EU.
He added that Greece and France are coordinating efforts to find a European solution to the problem of rising energy prices at the international level, and recalled the proposals presented by Athens to set a cap on the price of natural gas and decouple the price of electricity from the price of natural gas.
Macron thanked Greece for its practical assistance in combating the unprecedented wildfires that have swept France this year. He noted a significant convergence of views with Mitsotakis on issues such as energy and the economic crisis, which he said will be the subject of discussion at a working dinner with the Greek prime minister.
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