Greece will offer to assume command of the European Mission in the Red Sea, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced on Wednesday in Brussels.
Upon his arrival at the unofficial EU Defence Ministers Council in Brussels, Dendias said “we will discuss the European Mission in the Red Sea and I will propose, I will offer, that Greece assume command of the operation and also offer the Larissa Headquarters as the Mission’s headquarters.”
“Today we will discuss, apart from Ukraine, the European Defense Industry, something that Greece is particularly interested in. […] Additionally, we will discuss the European Mission in the Red Sea and I will propose, I will offer, that Greece assume command of the operation and also offer the Larissa Headquarters as the Mission’s headquarters,” the Greek Defense Minister announced.
EU member states want to launch a Red Sea naval mission by mid-February to protect ships from attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia and could decide its command structure on Wednesday, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
“Not all member states will be willing to participate but no one will obstruct … I hope that on the 17th of this month (February) the mission can be launched,” Borrell told reporters ahead of a European Union defense ministers meeting.
He said the aim on Wednesday was to pick a lead nation, and outline where the mission would be headquartered, who would participate and with what assets.
Borrell said the EU operation would be named “Aspides” – meaning protector – and its mandate would be to protect commercial and intercept attacks, but not take part in strikes against the Houthis.
Reuters reports that France, Greece and Italy have shown interest in leading the mission, with seven countries so far indicating they would be willing to send naval assets, diplomats said, adding that it would be based off existing EU missions in the region.
The operation would initially see three vessels under EU command. France and Italy already have warships in the region, and Germany plans to send the Hesse frigate to the area, diplomats said.
EU/Greece, etc want to protect shipping in the Red Sea so as to continue to support at least a ‘potential’ genocide, rather than simply pressuring the Genociders to stop the genocide, meaning there would be no threat to shipping in the first place.