France, Greece sign defence deal; Athens will buy 3 warships
France and Greece on Tuesday announced a multibillion-euro defence deal, including Athens' decision to buy three French warships as part of a strategy to boost its defence capacities in the Eastern Mediterranean amid recurring tensions with longtime foe Turkey.
President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a defense and security strategic partnership in a joint news conference in Paris. “This partnership expresses our will to increase and intensify our cooperation in the defence and security sector based on our mutual interests,” Macron said.
It will “help protect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of both states.” Greece will purchase three French frigates to be built by defence contractor Naval Group in Lorient, in western France. The deal includes an option for the acquisition of a fourth frigate.
Mitsotakis said it comes “out of national motivation to shield our country,” but also has “a European motive as it strengthens our common defence industry.”
The announcement comes at a key time for France after the loss this month of a $66 billion deal to sell diesel-electric submarines to Australia, which instead chose to acquire nuclear-powered submarines provided by the US.