The decision was obviously not taken in a week.
But in the light of the political tensions which animate the Eastern Mediterranean, it takes on a particular geopolitical relief.
Greece announced on Saturday its intention to buy 18 Rafale fighter jets from France.
The Greek Prime Minister, in a speech where he accused Turkey of wanting to harm Greece, unveiled a major arms purchase program.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis specified that Greece was going to procure 18 Rafale - of which it is not yet known whether they are new or reformed French airplanes -, four frigates and four navy helicopters, anti-tank weapons, torpedoes and missiles, and finance the renovation of four frigates.
He also announced his intention to recruit 15,000 additional troops.
“The time has come to strengthen our armed forces […] This is an important program that will form a national shield,” the Prime Minister said in a speech in Thessaloniki, in northern Greece.
"The link between the Greek and French armed forces"
More details on the cost of the program and the origin of the armaments will be announced at a press conference on Sunday, a government source told AFP.
It is therefore no coincidence that, when it comes to combat aircraft, the Rafale was mentioned.
This announcement supports the proximity to France, while Paris has shown firm support for Athens in the diplomatic brawl between it and Ankara.
The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has also confirmed this announcement: "This choice […] strengthens the link between the Greek and French armed forces, and will allow them to intensify their operational and strategic cooperation".
Greece has been buying Dassault planes since 1974, notably its Mirages.
"France is continuing its action in favor of a stronger, more autonomous and united defense Europe, in accordance with the strategic orientations" of President Emmanuel Macron, she added in the press release.
Erdogan's threats
A response to the very direct words of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who, on television, launched: "Mr. Macron, you have not finished having trouble with me", attacking for the first time by name its French counterpart.
Turkey and Greece are torn apart over oil fields in the eastern Mediterranean, in waters that Athens considers to be under its sovereignty.
Tensions between the two countries escalated when Turkey sent a seismic survey vessel accompanied by warships to these waters on August 10, prompting Athens to launch naval maneuvers, with support especially from France.
LP / INFOGRAPHIC
On Thursday, the French president and his six southern EU counterparts urged Turkey to end its policy of "confrontation" in the eastern Mediterranean and threatened it with European sanctions if Ankara continued to challenge the gas exploration rights of Greece and Cyprus in the area.
Emmanuel Macron added that the Turkish government "today behaved unacceptable" and had to "clarify its intentions".
In his speech on Saturday, the Turkish president advised Greece to "stay away" from "erroneous" actions supported by countries like France, before attacking the head of state by name.
"Do not seek quarrel with the Turkish people, do not seek quarrel with Turkey," he said, even adding that Paris "could not teach Turkey a lesson in humanity" because of its colonial past in Algeria and its role in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
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VIDEO. On board the Rafale, the star of fighter planes