The need to maintain Euro-Atlantic relations at a functional level was underlined by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his statements shortly after the conclusion of the extraordinary European Council in Brussels.
The Euro-Atlantic relations have gone through periods of turbulence over the last year, he said and added: Despite this, we all recognize that we must, in good faith, seek to maintain these relations at a functional level, without any behaviours that could lead to developments that cannot be corrected later.
He expressed his satisfaction with the fact that “things are slightly better” compared to the time this Summit was convened, as the US President clarified that he does not intend to impose additional tariffs on countries that have openly supported Greenland and does not intend to use military force to occupy territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark.
Asked about the Peace Council, the Greek Prime Minister stressed that not only Greece, but almost all European countries have difficulty participating. He noted, however, that Greece was a leading factor in Resolution 2803, which legitimized the US Peace Council – but only as an interim administration of Gaza, in order to implement the next stages of the peace plan, as agreed.
Greece is a country that has a direct interest in developments in the Middle East. “We want to be present. We want Europe to be present,” he noted.
it should be recalled that before the EUCO, Mitsotakis had told journalists that he was going to propose that the 13 EU member countries that have been invited to participate in the Peace Council, to sign their accession, but only for the issue that concerns the next phase of the peace process in Gaza and for as long as it takes.
“I believe that this is a reasonable compromise solution, which will allow us to participate in the peace process in Gaza,” the Greek PM stressed, however, his EU partners decided to turn down both Trump’s Board of Peace and Mitsotakis’ proposal.
Worth noting that the Premier skipped his trip to Davos on Wednesday under the pretext of “adverse weather conditions”, a move that raised questions.
Regarding the protection of the Arctic, Mitsotakis stressed that, although far from Greece, it is a critical priority for NATO, for the security of Europe and the security of the US. In this context, he argued that a way of cooperating with the United States, within NATO, must be found, so as to prevent any influence of China or Russia in the region.
The Greek prime minister has stressed the need for Europe to invest in its strategic autonomy, saying that he was one of the first to defend this approach. Significant steps have been made. Ever since the issue was first raised at the Versailles conference, Greece has always been a proponent of this logic, he added. He stressed, however, that “strategic autonomy also involves strengthening European competitiveness.”
