On Thursday, 29 January 2026, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met with the Minister of the Armed Forces of France, Catherine Vautrin.
Mr. Dendias received Ms. Vautrin at Salamis Naval Base and the two Ministers had a meeting aboard the first Hellenic FDI-HN (“Belh@rra”) Frigate “Kimon”.
The meeting confirmed the strategic defence ties between Greece and France to the benefit of peace, security, and stability in the broader region.
In particular, the two Ministers discussed the further enhancement of the Greece – France strategic defence cooperation, including the renewal of the bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreement for Cooperation in Defence and Security, defence industry cooperation with emphasis on innovation, joint operational programmes, as well as matters of regional and international security, focusing on stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
THe discussions were attended by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras HN, the General Director of the General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments of the Ministry of National Defence, Major General Ioannis Bouras, and the General Director of the General Directorate for National Defence Policy & International Relations of the Ministry of National Defence, Ambassador ad honorem Michel Spinellis.
French participants included the General Director for International Relations and Strategy of the Ministry of the Armed Forces Guillaume Ollagnier, the Head of the Military Cabinet, Vice Admiral Jacques Fayard, the Ambassador of France to Greece Laurence Auer, and other members of the French delegation responsible for the French industry and innovation.
After the meeting, the Minister of National Defence stressed the following in the joint statement:
“Dear Minister,
Dear Catherine,
on the occasion of your first visit to Greece after assuming your duties as Minister of the Armed Forces of the French Republic, it is my great pleasure to welcome you today in Athens.
We attach great importance, special importance, to the fact that today’s meeting with the dear Minister is taking place aboard Frigate “KIMON”, which is the most prestigious capstone of our strategic cooperation.
A cooperation that is founded on a sincere and mutually beneficial relationship, with a rich history, a glorious present, and a brilliant future.
Frigate “KIMON”, as you know, is the first of four frigates to be acquired by our Hellenic Navy which, in fact, after the relevant upgrades we requested, will carry strategic weapons, reaching the “Standard 2++” level.
The initial decision for the induction of the three Frigates into the Fleet is not just about numbers or armaments. It is about the way in which Greece chooses to protect its sea area and sovereign rights and, of course, its sovereignty, so that the Hellenic Navy can respond to the real demands of the 21st century.
The decision for the fourth Frigate increases the cohesion and power of the Fleet and ensures strategic depth.
I repeat, Greece, with the implementation of the “Agenda 2030”, proceeds with a plan, with confidence, invests in the Armed Forces for the 21st century.
Furthermore, Greece and France, aside from their traditional friendship ties, are connected with a common perception on International Law and its rules, which should be respected by everyone.
We jointly promote peace, security, cooperation. We respect International Law, we respect the Law of the Sea, we respect the Principles and the Values of the United Nations Charter.
Moreover, we Greeks wish for a strong footprint of French defence presence in our region.
In this context, in consultation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Greece and France, we agreed to accelerate the necessary procedures for the renewal of the “Agreement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership for Defence and Security Cooperation”.
It is a very important agreement, which I was honoured to sign in 2021 with the Minister of National Defence at the time, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, and our French counterparts, Jean Yves le Drian and Florence Parly.
With the Minister, we agreed to swiftly conclude the renewal of this Agreement, within a couple of months, and proceed to its signing.
This Agreement also includes – as you already know – a clause of mutual military assistance, it shields national sovereignty, promotes European defence autonomy, and we trust that it ensures stability, peace, and security in the Mediterranean.
A large part of our discussions today – in addition to the ones relating to the Agreement on the Strategic Partner Relationship – was earmarked to the enhancement of our cooperation, with regard to defence industry and innovation.
We particularly emphasised the prospects for deepening our cooperation in matters of research and modern technologies.
We believe that the development of innovative solutions in Defence is, not only for France and Greece, but for all of Europe, a major priority.
In this area, our cooperation with France has already began and we have made solid progress. The first Greek – French Defence Innovation Symposium took place in December 2024.
And through the implementation of the “Agenda 2030” and the establishment of the HCDI, we aim at further upgrading this relationship.
We have concrete actions we propose to France concerning research and product development. I am referring to air defence systems, satellites, UAVs, electronic warfare, missile and anti-missile capabilities.
I would also like to remind that the Hellenic Armed Forces have always used a large number of French weapon systems.
And that we remain committed to the strengthening of the European dimension of security, complementary to NATO. I also think that both countries agree that Europe must be able to guarantee its security.
I would also like to say that the General Staffs of Greece and France have broadened their areas of cooperation. We participate in joint exercises, European exercises, NATO exercises with France, in international missions, and try to enhance this framework of cooperation.
In fact, within the framework of the EU’s Permanent Structured Cooperation, we participate as members in eight joint projects. And there are also joint exercises, for example exercise “ORION 2026”, in which we, Greece, will have an increased presence.
We also discusses the successful quadrilateral cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, France, and Italy and other prospects of cooperation, e.g. with Egypt.
Dear Catherine,
during the working lunch that will follow, we will also exchange views on a series of matters concerning our broader region: the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the situation in North Africa, the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel, because we want to be aware of French views. We believe that we must always have a broader geopolitical approach to include the Middle East, North Africa, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea.
Dear Catherine,
within the framework of our strategic cooperation, I congratulate you for the significant progress made today, since it enhances our collective ability to maintain stability in the region, ensure the security of our peoples, and defend the basic principles of Europe.
Thank you”.
