Defense Minister Nikos Dendias expressed “Greece’s strong opposition to the possible sale of METEOR missiles to Turkiye, by a consortium in which France participates.
Dendias conveyed Greece’s objection during a meeting with the French Ambassador to Greece Laurence Auer on Wednesday.
In a post on X, Dendias noted that such a possibility “does not align with the up-to-now excellent strategic relations between the two countries.”
“After being informed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, I met today at the Ministry of National Defence with the Ambassador of France, Laurence Auer,” Dendias said.
“I asked,” he added, “for an official briefing regarding the reports concerning the sale of METEOR missiles to Turkiye by a consortium in which France participates.”
Following the relevant briefing of Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Georgios Gerapetritis, I met today at the Ministry of National Defence with the Ambassador of France, Ms. Laurence Auer, to request an official explanation regarding… pic.twitter.com/7z4gE57hsM
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) January 29, 2025
“Such a prospect is not in line with the hitherto excellent strategic relations between the two countries<" Dendias added.The 2021 Greece-France defense pact states that both nations should consult on decisions affecting their security interests “wherever possible.” Athens argued that selling Meteors to Turkey violates this spirit of cooperation.The Meteor missile, introduced to Greece’s arsenal in 2022, is considered a game changer. Fired from Rafale jets, it can strike targets over 100 kilometers away, granting Greece a decisive aerial advantage.If Turkey acquires Meteors for the 40 Eurofighter Typhoons it aims to purchase for an estimated €10 billion, this superiority could be erased. Each Eurofighter can carry up to six Meteors, while Greek Rafales carry up to four, adding a numerical challenge to the strategic shift, daily kathimerini noted.The Meteor missiles are produced by the European arms consortium MBDA, which includes France, Britain and Italy.There is reportedly no official response to Greece by France, so far.
![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2025/01/30/meteor-missiles-greece-france-turkey/&media=https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/meteormissiles.jpg&description=Defense Minister Nikos Dendias expressed "Greece's strong opposition to the possible sale of METEOR missiles to Turkey, by a consortium){kind=link}