France-Greece sign multibillion Euro defence deal; President Macron advises European nations to raise defence preparedness

Paris: – Two European countries, France and Greece, signed a multibillion-Euro defence deal on Tuesday. Under the agreement, Greece will buy three super-advanced destroyers from France. On the occasion of the agreement, French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the confidence expressed by Greece. Macron said ‘European countries need to give up the negativity and become dignified and increase their defence capabilities.’ France’s aggressive move, infuriated by the US-Australia-UK AUKUS deal, is attracting attention.

On Tuesday, Greek Prime Minister Kiriakos Mitsotakis visited France with his delegation. Prime Minister Mitsotakis met with French President Macron and announced important defence and security cooperation agreements. President Macron claimed that the defence agreement would assist in protecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of both countries. According to the agreement reached this time, Greece has purchased three destroyers from France and a decision on the purchase of a fourth destroyer may be made shortly.

Earlier this year, Greece signed an agreement for the purchase of 18 Rafale fighter jets from France. The purchase of these destroyers is seen as the next phase in defence cooperation. The Greek prime minister responded by saying that Greece and France had taken the first bold step towards the military autonomy of European countries. Prime Minister Mitsotakis claimed that this would clear the blocks for Europe to take steps to protect its interests from the Mediterranean to the Gulf region.

Meanwhile, the French president appealed to the European countries to increase the level of their defence preparedness, using a more aggressive language. Earlier, the French president had suggested that European countries increase their defence capabilities and reduce their dependence on the United States. The French president had also commented that NATO, the joint military organisation of the United States, Canada and the European Union, was also on the deathbed.

Meanwhile, Greece is claimed to have bought destroyers from France in the wake of the perceived Turkish threat in the Mediterranean. But this defence agreement is being looked at, against the background of varying developments in Europe, over the last ten days.