On Wednesday 5 February 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, paid a formal visit to Cyprus, where he was welcomed by the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulidis and met his Cypriot counterpart, Vasilis Palmas.
The Minister was accompanied by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis, and the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis. He visited the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus first, where he met the Minister of Defence Vasilis Palmas in a particularly warm atmosphere.
After the formal welcoming, a private meeting between the two Ministers and discussions between the two delegations took place.
Among others, the two Ministers discussed about the security situation in the broader region and the further development of defence cooperation, both on a bilateral level and with ally countries. They also pointed out the need to create a unified European defence arm and to exclude defence expenditures from the fiscal regulations of the EU. During the meeting, the Minister of National Defence invited the Republic of Cyprus to join the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation.
The meeting was attended by the Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas, the Director General of the Cypriot Ministry of Defence Anna Aristotelous, the Ambassador of Greece in Nicosia, Ioannis Papameletiou, personnel of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, as well as of the Cypriot National Guard General Staff.
During their joint statements to the press, the Minister of National Defence underlined the following:
“Vasilis, thank you very much for one more heartfelt meeting. Every time that I have the opportunity to visit Cyprus and meet you is a great joy for me. Later, I will have the honour to be received by the President of President of the Cypriot Democracy, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides.
We initially discussed the broader geopolitical framework in the region. Both countries applaud the agreement in Gaza. We hope that the situation that will be created in the broader region will be that, which both our countries co-sign.
We discussed about our excellent bilateral defence relations. As regards the Cyprus issue, I would like to repeat the steadfast position of Greece to stand by the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus for a fair, balanced, and viable solution within the given framework: namely the decisions of the United Nations and of course the European Acquis. I always take the chance to underline that the participation of Greece as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council these two years (2025-2026) provides an opportunity for that.
From that point onwards, I would like to express from a moral statement, that it is not possible for Nicosia, a European capital of an EU member-state, to remain divided.
I briefed my friend, the Minister, regarding the situation in the Aegean. I am always of the belief that calm waters and steady winds are useful, but the Turkish behaviour East of Kasos and North of Crete two days ago and the reaction to the issue of environmental parks in the Cyclades do not make me optimistic.
We exchanged opinions on Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and the Red Sea. The Minister talked about our participation in Operation ASPIDES, an operation, which has a Greek name, exactly for the purpose of underlining the role that Greece played in its organisation.
Greece and Cyprus are bilateral and multilateral pillars of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean through the many initiatives in which we participate.
Some time ago, the 10th Greece – Cyprus – Egypt Trilateral Summit was held. Presidents El-Sisi and Christodoulides, as well as the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, had the opportunity to display an example of national cooperation, which is based on the respect for international regulations, honest cooperation, and mutual respect.
I would like to applaud the decision of the United States of America for allowing the Republic of Cyprus to join American defence programmes. I reckon that this development is truly valuable. But it also has a great symbolic value.
Additionally, I absolutely agree with what Vasilis said earlier. The creation of a defence arm of the European Union, which will be able to defend the whole region of Europe. However, I would like to add at this point, that for this to happen, Europe must finally decide to invest more and immediately change the fiscal rules regarding expenses for Defence.
It was due to a Greek initiative that an informal Summit was held yesterday, with its sole subject being the issue of European defence, so that there can be, at last, a defence wake-up call in the continent.
Through the years, Greece has spent large sums of money for its defence and I would like to say that if there were exclusion clauses for defence expenditures, the Greek public debt would be lower than 40% of the country’s GDP. In other words, Greece would have a lower public debt today, than probably any other country of the European Union. But of course, this is sadly not the case. And I do not mean that no fiscal responsibility regulations are required. Of course they are. But there must exist a logical treatment. It is not possible for a country, which is forced to spend money in order to counter an existing and existential threat, to be treated in the same way, as one which is located in an completely friendly region, and which has no need to spend its budget on defence.
I had the opportunity to brief my friend, the Minister, regarding the great reformation of the Hellenic Armed Forces, the “Agenda 2030”. Yesterday, in the Hellenic Army Academy, we had the opportunity to present the overall equipment of the Greek fighter of the 21st century within the framework of the “Agenda 2030”. However, there are many other parameters, in which we could also cooperate.
I had the opportunity to brief my counterparts here in Nicosia, regarding the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation. The creation and organisation of a new defence industry ecosystem. I also invited Cyprus to get a clear point of view about what we do in Athens and I believe that we can cooperate within this operational ecosystem, which is being created and can offer benefits to our two countries, not only in the field of Defence, but also in economic development.
This whole reformation, which is happening in Greece, the “Agenda 2030”, is the greatest reformation in the history of the Hellenic Nation, as the Prime Minister of Greece stated, and it also has a moral basis. The moral pillars on which it is based are, of course, the defending of the Country and its territorial integrity. Another one is the respect for International Law and the International Law of the Sea. Also, the good neighbouring relations, so that we can render the countries in our area capable of contributing to the implementation of the ideals of the Charter of the United Nations.
My dear, Vasilis, thank you. We will have an opportunity to continue our discussion. You were kind enough to invite me to a meal. It would be my great pleasure.
And I would like to repeat it: I feel very happy every time I visit Cyprus. Thank you very much”.
Following, the Minister of National Defence visited the Presidential Palace of Nicosia, where he was received by the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides.
Mr. Dendias, responding to the greeting of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, pointed out the following:
“Mr. President, thank you for your kind behaviour towards me and the honour of receiving me.
I had a long private discussion with Vasilis (Palmas), as well as one in the framework of our delegations. I am accompanied by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Houpis and the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, exactly for the purpose of our discussion being meaningful.
I would like to firstly congratulate you for all that you have achieved during your service. I am mainly referring to and underlining the new initiative of the United States, which allows for a deeper mutual cooperation between us, as regards American materiel, which we also possess. It is something extremely important, as is your attempt to reposition the Cyprus Issue on the tracks laid by the decisions of the United Nations.
As regards our bilateral cooperation, I look forward to the meeting with you. I am meeting you before I do so with my Prime Minister, so you will be the one to brief me on what took place yesterday in Brussels, before Mr. Mitsotakis has the opportunity to do so. It is extremely important, and I have always stressed this publicly, that in the past, the approach of the EU was schizophrenic. There were very strict fiscal limitations on defence expenditures. Defence autonomy, which is something they desire, cannot be achieved within this narrow framework. So, I hope that the EU has come back to its senses. Namely, when it prioritises a political goal, it should allow for the relevant funds to be spent on it too. It cannot happen otherwise.
However, I completely agree with what you said regarding the need of Europe to defend its territory. And I always say this, in order to reassure our friends in the other side of the Atlantic, that this not something contrary to our obligations, which are stated in the North Atlantic Treaty. It is absolutely compatible and purposeful.
So, I am looking forward to our discussion. Again, I would like to thank you warmly, Mr. President, for the honour of receiving me”.
