Greece and France will strengthen their strategic cooperation, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday evening, hours before the announcement in Paris of a military contract with France.
"We are heading towards a consequent strengthening of the strategic partnership between Greece and France,"
Kyriakos Mitsotakis assured public television ERT during a visit to the French capital.
"There will be announcements tomorrow (Tuesday) morning at the Elysée Palace"
with French President Emmanuel Macron.
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According to the French presidency, the two men are to hold a press conference Tuesday at 9:30 am at the Elysee Palace.
The French defense industry is looking to bounce back after the cancellation of a huge 55 billion euro submarine contract by Australia, which preferred a strategic partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to the specialized Greek press, the French offer presented in Athens concerns three defense and intervention frigates (FDI, Belharra according to their name for export) and three Gowind class corvettes.
Athens last year launched a call for tenders for four frigates and the renovation of its Hydra frigates.
The French company Naval Group takes part in it and is opposed to the German TKMS, the Dutch Damen, the Italian Fincantieri and the American Lockheed Martin.
Earlier this month, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had already announced the surprise purchase of six French Rafale fighters, in addition to a previous contract at 2.5 billion euros, signed in January, for 12 used Rafale and six new.
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Greece's booming arms program aims to counter Turkish provocations in the eastern Mediterranean, against which France is one of the few EU countries to have publicly protested in recent months.
In return, Kyriakos Mitsotakis supported Mr. Macron's call to create a European army.
“The demand for European strategic autonomy is absolutely essential,”
he told ERT.
"Europe must become capable of acting autonomously"
, judged the Greek Prime Minister, specifying that Greece and France would be
"on the front line"
to defend this initiative.
