Greece, France Extend Defense Pact

(MENAFN) Emmanuel Macron and Kyriakos Mitsotakis have agreed to renew their bilateral defense cooperation agreement and broaden strategic ties across several sectors, according to reports.

The defense pact, originally signed in 2021, has been extended for another five years and will automatically renew thereafter. The agreement was formalized during a ceremony at the Maximos Mansion in Athens.

A key component of the updated arrangement is a mutual assistance clause, under which both countries commit to support one another in the event that either faces a threat to its sovereignty.

Alongside the defense framework, the two governments signed a series of nine additional agreements spanning education, vocational training, scientific research, innovation, energy cooperation, environmental policy, and nuclear-related collaboration, signaling a wider expansion of bilateral engagement.

During a joint press briefing, Macron emphasized Greece’s strategic position in addressing European security concerns, while Mitsotakis described the occasion as a reaffirmation of the close alliance between the two countries.

Both leaders also addressed broader geopolitical tensions, calling for an end to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and underscoring the importance of maintaining secure maritime routes, including efforts
linked to reopening key global shipping passages such as the Strait of Hormuz.

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