Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias reiterated his country’s opposition to the potential sale of Meteor air-to-air missiles to Turkey during a meeting with British Defense Secretary John Healey in London on Tuesday, according to Greek media.
Dendias expressed concern that such a sale could destabilize the regional balance of power.
Turkey has been negotiating the acquisition of up to 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, seeking to equip them with Meteor missiles as part of its air force modernization. The Meteor, developed by the European consortium MBDA, which includes Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden, is regarded as one of the most advanced beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles available.
Greece strongly opposes the deal. Athens claims it violates a 2021 Franco-Greek defense pact requiring security consultations.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis previously raised concerns about the sale with French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking to block the deal. Macron, however, said that preventing the transaction was not feasible due to the multinational nature of the missile’s production.
In response Greece is exploring ways to enhance its defense capabilities. Athens is in talks with Israel to develop a €2 billion air defense system, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome, in an effort to bolster its air defenses amid ongoing regional tensions.
Despite some thaw in long-troubled relations between NATO allies and neighbors Greece and Turkey, the two countries remain at odds on a range of issues including maritime boundaries, energy resources and the airspace over the eastern Mediterranean.