Greece and France ink ‘historic’ defense agreement

French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis inked what they described as a “historic” defense agreement in Paris on Tuesday.

The agreement, said Macron, strengthens cooperation in the area of security and helps safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries.

It will help the two countries defend their shared interests in the Mediterranean and is also an “an audacious first step towards European strategic autonomy,” he said, according to Agence-France Presse.

The agreement, Mitsotakis told the same press conference after the signing ceremony, which paves the way for “autonomous” European defense, “equal to its economic power.”

It cements Greek-French friendship, which “transcends the framework of EU and NATO,” he added.

Mitsotakis stressed that the agreement with France will not affect the Mutual Defense Cooperation Pact that is currently under negotiation between Greece and the United States in the aftermath of tension between Paris and Washington over the submarine agreement with Australia.

The Greek prime minister said that new deal is “not antagonistic” to the Greek-US relationship.

He also said that “France stood by us during difficult times in the summer of 2020,” during Turkish challenges of Greek territorial rights in the Aegean Sea.

French defense and foreign ministers Florence Parly and Jean-Yves Le Drian, and Greek FM Nikos Dendias were also part of the signing.

The deal foresees the purchase by Greece of three French-built frigates, with the option of a fourth.