Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Greece will not take part in military operations in the Middle East, despite strengthening its defensive role in the region.
Speaking at a Bloomberg conference, “Greek Energy: The New Era,” Mitsotakis said Greece had already supported allies by deploying frigates and F-16s to assist Cyprus and contributing to air defence efforts in Bulgaria.
However, he made clear: “the simple answer is no, Greece is not going to participate in any operation around the theatre of current operations,” adding, “we will not engage in any activity in the broader area as long as there are military operations.”
He stressed Greece would only consider involvement under a European-endorsed mission, saying the likelihood was “very low,” while noting Europe should instead focus on the economic and energy impacts of the crisis.
Mitsotakis warned prolonged conflict could trigger a major energy shock, saying “the downside risks are considerably greater than the upside benefits,” and highlighted concerns over disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
He added Greece is pushing for de-escalation, does not believe the conflict can be resolved militarily, and maintains that Iran should not possess nuclear weapons or threaten neighbouring countries.
