The Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos participated in the Extraordinary Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence, which took place in Brussels today, Wednesday 16 March 2022.
At the discussion regarding the war in Ukraine, he expressed Greece’s unwavering support to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognised borders. He underlined that Russia’s invasion and revisionist actions in Ukraine clearly constitute a breach of International Law and the fundamental principles of the UN Chart and the Helsinki Final Act, and emphasized that the diplomatic route is the only viable solution to restore stability and security.
As far as the humanitarian crisis is concerned, he said that Greece had sent humanitarian help to Ukraine from day one, and he reiterated our country’s strong interest in Greek nationals in Mariupol who are afflicted by the Russian bombardments.
Moreover, the Hellenic Armed Forces fully participate in NATO’s Reaction Force, according to the pertinent planning, and several strategic allied installations in Greece contributed to NATO’s rapid response to the Russian threat.
He also pointed out that Greece supported the massive list of sanctions approved by the European Union, in coordination with the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, spotlighting the significant economic cost also inflicted by these sanctions to NATO allies and EU member states.
Regarding the long-term adjustment of NATO deterrence and defence posture, the Minister noted that NATO’s fixed mission is to maintain security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area as a whole, for all Allies, without exemptions. Ensuring equal security for all NATO member states, regardless of their proximity to Russia, remains the Alliance’s key duty.
In addition, he mentioned that a really effective 360o perspective should be adopted, and that the deterrence and defence capability against threats coming from all strategic directions should be ensured. In this context, we should not limit ourselves to a limited view of security, solely focusing on current threats, no matter how important they may be, but the Alliance ought to seriously take into account the complicated security challenges, also coming from the South, and their spillovers to the stability of NATO members.
He underlined that Greece constantly contributes to the enhancement of NATO’s readiness and responsiveness, providing to the Allies’ planned defence expenditure, as well as carrying on its active participation to NATO operations, missions and activities. He also pointed out that we stand by the side of Ukraine, of freedom and of democracy. As the Greek PM Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis also stated in the Hellenic Parliament, “Greece has always been on the right side of history, and this is what we also do now”.
In the margins of NATO’s extraordinary Ministerial Meeting, a meeting was also held between the Minister of National defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos and his Bulgarian counterpart Mr. Dragomir Zakov.
