Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused Türkiye on Wednesday of maintaining “open threats of war” against Greece, escalating tensions between the two NATO allies during the alliance’s summit in Ankara.
Speaking to reporters, Mitsotakis said NATO’s unity depends on respect for international law and good-neighborly relations, comments that came amid renewed discussion over a possible U.S. approval of the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye.
“My country continues to face an open threat of war from Türkiye,” Mitsotakis said, adding that the concerns of all NATO allies should be taken into account.
While avoiding direct criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks supporting efforts to restore Türkiye’s access to the F-35 program, Mitsotakis stressed that disputes among allies should be resolved through dialogue and cooperation.
The Greek leader also highlighted Athens’ defence commitments, saying Greece had already met NATO’s target of allocating 3.5% of gross domestic product to defence ahead of schedule and was implementing a 25-billion-euro military modernization programme.
Mitsotakis said Greece remained committed to strengthening European defence within NATO, noting that the country had continued increasing military spending despite years of economic crisis.
The dispute comes as discussions intensify over Türkiye’s possible return to the F-35 programme after Ankara was removed from the project following its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defence system. Greece has expressed concern that such a move could alter the military balance in the eastern Mediterranean.