The Greek government is approaching the first day of the NATO Summit with calm and composure — a summit that was marked by Donald Trump’s warm political embrace of Tayyip Erdogan and the U.S. president’s open invitation for Turkey to rejoin the F-35 program.
NATO Summit: Greece’s position following Trump’s statements on F-35s and Turkey
The Greek Prime Minister’s office is sending a clear message: the government’s primary concern is to safeguard Greece’s own defense capabilities — a goal it has been actively pursuing in recent years — while conducting foreign policy with confidence and seriousness. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis reminded viewers (on SKAI TV) that seven years ago, before the 2019 elections, Greece was excluded from both the F-35 program and the F-16 upgrade program. Today, he noted, Greece “has secured 20 state-of-the-art F-35s, with an option to double that number to 40,” while on the F-16 front, “where we were once left out of the upgrade program, 56 aircraft have already been upgraded, with the total set to reach 83, all equipped with the new Viper technology.” He also pointed out that “in 2019, Turkey was on the verge of securing F-35s — today it is merely seeking to reclaim them.” Notably, just shortly after the conclusion of the Trump-Erdogan meeting in Ankara, 18 Democratic members of Congress signed a letter expressing their opposition to Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program.
Greece’s message on defense and deterrence capability
Mr. Marinakis urged citizens not to listen to “scaremongers,” as he put it, on matters of national importance, and stressed that Greece “is now one of the most powerful and rising member states, an equal member of the European Union just like all other members, and a NATO member state — and one of only five countries, alongside Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia, to have met the 5% defense spending target.”
Speaking on Athens 9.84 radio, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis recalled that “a 12-year armaments program worth €25 billion is currently underway,” adding that “our country cannot dictate the defense procurement policies of other nations, but no military equipment can be used against an allied country.” He also noted that “our country has increased its diplomatic capital and its deterrent capability — and this is recognized by all,” while criticizing what he described as a “Turkey-obsessed approach” by some media outlets, explaining that certain voices “keep saying Turkey comes out the winner — something that is not borne out by subsequent developments.”
What the new defense bank means for Greece’s defense industry
The Prime Minister’s office is also highlighting Greece’s inclusion as a founding member of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), describing it as a significant development both for the country and for the international architecture of defense and security financing. The DSRB is the world’s first multilateral development bank exclusively focused on defense, security, and resilience. Its creation aims to fill a gap in the international financial system by providing a specialized institutional mechanism to strengthen participating states against modern hybrid and conventional threats.
Government sources emphasize that Greece’s participation opens up significant opportunities for the domestic defense industry and the broader economy. They also underscore that Greece’s role as a founding member of the DSRB is a strategic choice with long-term vision, and that Greece is demonstrating in practical terms its ability to play a leading role — not only in shaping the new geopolitical balance, but also in building the institutions that will underpin international security for decades to come.
How Greece is entering the NATO Summit
Regarding the NATO Summit, which officially began just hours later (note: the dinner of the 32 leaders took place the previous evening), the same sources state that Greece is attending “with the confidence of a strong and reliable ally — one that not only consistently honors its commitments, but stands at the forefront of Alliance members already delivering on the targets agreed upon at The Hague.”
