Dendias Hegseth Phone Contact

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias discussed the strategic alliance with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a phone contact on Friday evening.

Dendias posted on his social media account, X (formerly Twitter), that the two men touched upon the strategic defense alliance between the NATO allies, as well as the shared regional and international security challenges.

The contact came amidst reports that military procurement restrictions against Turkey, including blocking its purchase of the F-35 fighter jets, would be lifted.

In his recent address at the 6th Delphi Forum in Washington, Dendias contrasted the differences between Greece and Turkey as a case study, describing the latter as an authoritarian country that refused to abide by international law or the law of the sea.

The Greek minister went on to claim Turkey maintained close ties with Russia, challenging internationally recognized borders and treaties, while it stood opposed to Israel, hosted the Muslim Brotherhood, aligned with Hamas, and was going down an Islamist path while threatening its allies, and dreaming of reviving old empires.

By contrast, as Dendias underlined, Greece supported international law and a rules-based international order, is a modern democracy, a core member of the EU, defends democratic values, fought on the right side in both World Wars, and supported Ukraine and the Western Balkans in their EU aspirations.

Addressing U.S.-Greece relations, he noted the strength of the alliance through various cooperative efforts—ranging from the MDCA and F-35 fighter jets to Black Hawk helicopters, Constellation-class frigates, the strategic port of Alexandroupoli, and the Three Seas Initiative. This partnership, he said, had been “excellent during both the Trump presidency and under President Biden.”

Source: Tovima.com