The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met today, Thursday 18 September 2025, at the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon), with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Croatia Ivan Anušić, who is conducting an official visit to Greece.

After the private meeting between the two Ministers, extended talks were conducted between the two delegations. Among other things, they discussed issues regarding the reinforcement of the bilateral defence cooperation between Greece and Croatia, the developments in European defence and industry, as well as regional and international Defence and Security issues.

From the Greek side, the following individuals attended the meeting: the Chief of HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras HN, the Army Inspector General – Deputy Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Andreas Koronakis, the Deputy Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General (Pilot) Ioannis Kotsakis, the General Director of the General Directorate on Defence Investments and Armaments (GDDIA) of the Ministry of National Defence Major General Ioannis Bouras and the General Director of the General Directorate on National Defence Policy & International Relations (GDNDPIR) of the Ministry of National Defence Honorary Ambassador Michail Spinellis and the Director of the Diplomacy Office of the Ministry of National Defence Ambassador Giorgos Arnaoutis.

From the side of Croatia, other participants were the Chief of the Armed Forces General Staff of Croatia Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid, the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia appointed in Greece Aleksandar Sunko, the Head of Defence Policy Nikola Volf, the Director of the Armaments Directorate Ivica Grebenar, the Head of the Office of the Minister of Defence of Croatia Marina Vujcic and the Minister’s Councillor Tomislav Lozusic.

In the joint statements which followed, Mr Dendias remarked:

“Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Croatia,

Dear Ivan,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you today to Athens, especially given the fact that it is your first visit here in Greece.

I am certain that this is the first of many visits to follow.

Today, however, we were given the opportunity to open a new chapter in the defence relations between Greece and Croatia.

Our country and Croatia are both Balkan states, EU member-states, NATO member-states, countries which, thanks to the nature of their relationship itself, can develop the warmest and most cordial relations between them.

The importance which I attribute to the close relations with Croatia is proven by the fact that when I was Foreign Minister I visited Croatia 6 times. And I intend to do the same now as the Minister of National Defence.

Furthermore, I consider it my obligation to start my statement from the Western Balkans. Greece serves the “Thessaloniki Agenda”, meaning the Euro-Atlantic course of the Western Balkans. And in this regard, I believe that we share with Croatia the exact same view.

Furthermore, we both defend the International Law and the principles of the UN Charter, inviolability of international borders and the territorial integrity of all states.

We believe that aggressiveness and particularly the use of force is something absolutely prohibited by international treaties.

I would also like to refer to more practical issues of the cooperation between us, given that we are both EU and NATO member-states. Greece and Croatia have both entered the EU SAFE programme. Hence, we looked for synergies, spaces and programmes where we can jointly make arrangements.

Furthermore, I had the opportunity to elaborate regarding the great reform of the Hellenic Armed Forces to my counterpart, conducted in the framework of the “Agenda 2030”. Explain to him what we are trying to do here. Explain to him what the Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation is trying to accomplish. Our effort to establish a Greek defence ecosystem. Moreover, our willingness to cooperate with the ecosystems of countries which are friendly towards us.

We talked about the programmes and the operations in which we already participate together, as well as the common capabilities for training that we have.

I had the opportunity to stress that at least 40 students from Croatia, members of the Armed Forces of Croatia, have attended the military schools of Greece.

Furthermore, I would like to say that we consider this cooperation capable of expansion, it can expand, either through the participation of more Croatian pilots in the Kalamata Training Centre or in the other Schools of the Hellenic Armed Forces.

On the other hand, I am looking forward to the participation of Greek members of the Armed Forces in Croatian schools, so that we can have a clear perception of how this friendly towards us country is organising its Armed Forces.

I would also like to say that there are endless fields in which we can cooperate. An example is that Croatia is also equipped with Rafale. It has 12 Rafale. We can also cooperate in this framework, as well as the fact that Croatia has asked to purchase Leopard II tanks. Tanks already utilised by Greece.

In conclusion, I would like to say that ahead of us we have a framework in which we can cooperate very closely, with common perception, joint initiatives, willing to develop our relations, between our peoples, between our Armed Forces, between our economies, to the mutual benefit, in the framework of the principles and values that both countries advocate within the EU and NATO.

Dear Ivan, thank you very much for your visit here today. I repeat that I believe it is the first of many to follow”.