Greek officials have stepped up opposition to EU defence deals with Türkiye that could weaken Athens’ military edge in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Greek government is now readying protests against Italy and France over weapons sales that Athens believes could alter regional power balances. Such steps by fellow EU members have caught Greece off guard during a period of relative quiet with Türkiye.
Italian Sale Catches Athens Off Guard
In a move that angered Greek leaders, Italy agreed to sell its aerospace giant Piaggio to Türkiye’s Baykar, a leading drone maker, without notifying other EU members. Greek officials argue this breaks EU rules requiring disclosure of foreign investments in defence firms.
The deal boosts Türkiye’s growing defence industry, already known for its Bayraktar drones. The Italian aerospace firm Leonardo also started exploring deeper work alongside Baykar on unmanned aerial vehicles, adding to Greek concerns about unchecked European defence deals with Ankara.
French Missiles Raise Greek Eyebrows
Worsening Athens’ concerns, France may allow the sale of Meteor air-to-air missiles to Türkiye through MBDA: a European consortium.
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias lodged protests with French Ambassador Laurence Auer, noting this contradicts the French-Greek defense pact. The missiles could threaten Greece’s fleet of French Rafale jets, which currently give Athens an advantage over Türkiye’s aging air force.
The Meteor missile debate has reached top officials, with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis raising the issue directly with French President Emmanuel Macron at recent meetings in Paris and Brussels.
While Macron has reaffirmed France’s pledge to their strategic partnership, he also noted that the UK, not France alone, leads talks on the potential missile sale. The Meteor’s advanced “ramjet motor” allows it to maintain thrust until target intercept, creating what manufacturer MBDA calls the “largest No Escape Zone of any air-to-air missile system.”
U.S. Balances Regional Fighter Jet Sales
The European deals emerge as Washington works to keep the peace between the NATO allies. Last year, the U.S. State Department gave the green light to sell F-35 stealth fighters to Greece and modernised F-16s to Türkiye in matching announcements. This followed Türkiye’s approval of Sweden joining NATO after a two-year wait.
The timing hints Washington wanted to avoid playing favorites between the two allies while protecting NATO’s southern flank.
Türkiye’s request includes 40 new F-16 Block 70 fighters and 79 modernization kits for its existing fleet. Greece will receive 20 advanced F-35s, in a clear upgrade in capabilities.
This mix shows ongoing U.S. caution toward Türkiye following its purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems, which led to Ankara’s removal from the F-35 program in 2019.
Other EU Members Keep Arming Ankara
Despite Greek unease, European arms sales to Türkiye continue.
Germany proceeds with submarine deliveries worth €2.5 billion to Ankara while discussing sales of Eurofighter jets.
Spain helped build Türkiye’s Anadolu aircraft carrier, now modified to launch drones, and recently signed a new jet trainer aircraft agreement. The United Kingdom sealed defence deals worth €2.2 billion with Türkiye over ten years.
Lately Greece and Türkiye enjoyed calmer exchanges, yet recent developments risk reviving old disputes between old rivals.
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