Greece safeguards its borders — and Europe’s Greek City Times

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has reaffirmed that Greece remains committed to protecting both its national borders and those of the European Union, while signaling readiness to respond to rising energy costs amid ongoing geopolitical instability.

Speaking after the European Council meeting in Brussels, Mitsotakis said leaders held extensive discussions on the economic consequences of the prolonged crises in the Middle East. He warned that the longer conflicts persist, the greater the strain on global, European, and Greek economies.

The prime minister noted that the Council’s conclusions allow for greater flexibility in both national and EU-level responses. While declining to provide specific measures, he stressed that the Greek government is prepared—within its fiscal limits—to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices and potential increases in electricity costs.

Addressing reports from Turkey regarding Greece’s deployment of Patriot missile systems to Karpathos, Mitsotakis dismissed the claims as “legally unfounded” and poorly timed given the broader geopolitical climate. He made clear that Greece does not negotiate the operational deployment of its defense capabilities.

On the presence of Greek Patriot systems in Saudi Arabia, Mitsotakis explained that the deployment has been in place since 2021 following a national security decision. He described recent interception activity as purely defensive, part of a broader effort to safeguard critical energy infrastructure in cooperation with a key strategic partner.

He argued that such actions serve a wider purpose, noting that any successful strike on major energy facilities in the region could have driven global oil prices significantly higher. Protecting vital infrastructure, he said, is essential for international energy stability.

Mitsotakis also highlighted a joint initiative by Greece and France calling for a moratorium on attacks against energy installations across the Middle East, including in Iran and Gulf states.

Regarding European solidarity, he described as “extremely positive” the swift response of EU member states to support Cyprus following recent tensions, with Greece playing a leading role through air and naval assistance.

Migration stance remains firm

Responding to questions about alleged migrant pushbacks along the Evros border, Mitsotakis reiterated that Greece is acting to defend both its own borders and those of the European Union.

He emphasized that the EU is determined not to repeat the mistakes of the 2015 migration crisis and underlined a shared commitment among member states to prevent uncontrolled mass migration flows.

“Greece protects its borders and the borders of the EU,” Mitsotakis said, adding that the government will not apologize for its border protection policies.