A Foreign Ministry spokesperson has reiterated Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis’ position that “a country that maintains the threat of war cannot participate” in SAFE, the EU’s new €150 billion defense loan mechanism, while also acknowledging recent progress in Greek-Turkish relations.
During her regular briefing to diplomatic correspondents, spokesperson Lana Zochiou said that “over the past two and a half years, Greece has established a functional relationship with Turkey and maintains open channels of communication to prevent tensions and crises.”
Responding to comments by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who suggested the US aims to serve as a “bridge” between Athens and Ankara, Zochiou said Greece welcomes international interest in promoting regional stability. “We consider it important that third parties show interest in establishing security and stability in the region,” she noted.
However, she emphasized that Greece addresses its issues with Turkey directly. “In any case, we handle matters bilaterally, as provided for by international law. No third-party initiative has been undertaken, and Greece has received no such proposal,” she said.
Zochiou also outlined the foreign minister’s agenda, confirming that Gerapetritis will travel to Brussels on Tuesday to attend Wednesday’s meeting of NATO foreign ministers, held as the US puts forward a proposal aimed at advancing peace in Ukraine.
“Any initiative to end the war is welcome,” she said. “However, the American proposal cannot be decided without Ukraine. Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be respected, and the EU must be at the negotiating table, as its interests are directly affected.”
She added that no meeting has been arranged between Gerapetritis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Brussels, though dates are being explored for the next round of talks in early 2026.