Mitsotakis: Greece Will Support Ukraine Without Undermining Its Own Defenses
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in Brussels on Friday, October 16, that Greece will do everything possible to support Ukraine but will not take steps that compromise its own national defense capabilities. Speaking to Radio Liberty on the sidelines of the European Council summit, he addressed questions over whether Athens would transfer Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles from its military stockpiles to Kyiv.
"You know that we have supported Ukraine by providing significant air defense assets from our stockpiles," Mitsotakis said. "At the same time, I want to be completely candid: we will do everything possible to support Ukraine without undermining Greece's defense capabilities. We are also in a security-sensitive region, we have other obligations, but we stand by Ukraine and always try to do everything possible." He declined to comment publicly on whether Kyiv had submitted a formal request.
According to Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Kyiv approached Athens with a request to acquire up to 200 Patriot PAC-2 missiles. Greece has previously transferred shorter-range air defense systems to Ukraine but has not officially announced or authorized deliveries of long-range Patriot interceptors. (GSM, based on Kyiv Post and Radio Liberty reporting)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 「爱国者」防空导弹系统演习画面。 Photo by Lance Cpl. Alyssa Chuluda, U.S. Marine Corps, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
