Greece filed a demarche with NATO’s General Secretariat to protest a congratulatory message to Turkey for its 1922 victory over Greece in Asia Minor. The message was posted on social media by the Headquarters of the Allied Land Command (LANDCOM) in Izmir. ZAFER BAYRAMINIZ KUTLU OLSUN! LANDCOM wishes a happy …
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Mitsotakis-Erdogan hold first meeting after their re-election
A meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was held early Wednesday afternoon on the margins of the NATO Summit in Vilnius. t was the first meeting of the two leaders after their re-election. The meeting lasted 30 minutes including the time both translators needed, …
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Erdogan links Sweden’s NATO membership to Turkey’s EU accession
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in an unexpected move, said on Monday the European Union should open the way for Ankara’s accession to the bloc before Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance. Turkey’s bid to join the EU has been frozen for years after membership talks …
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Greece among 7 allies to meet NATO spending target in 2022
Greece was among seven out of 30 allies to meet NATO’s military spending target of 2% of GDP in 2022, one country less than in 2021 before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the alliance’s annual report for 2022. Speaking ahead of the launch, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged allies …
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Menendez praises Alexandroupolis as “major defense and energy hub”
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez called the East Mediterranean as a “promising region” during the 1st East Macedonia & Thrace Forum in Alexandroupoli, examining the role of the region in upgrading Greece’s geopolitical footprint. In a video message, he highlighted the prospects of the region despite the …
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Senators ask Biden to link F-16 sale to Ankara to NATO enlargement
Two US Senators are asking President Joe Biden to link the issue of NATO enlargement with the request submitted by Turkey for the upgrade and purchase of new F-16 fighter jets. In the letter authored by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican colleague Thom Tillis of North …
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Turkey postpones indefinitely NATO talks with Sweden, Finland
NATO has indefinitely postponed talks with Finland and Sweden at Turkey’s request. The talks were scheduled for February. Their applications have already been approved by 28 alliance countries, but Hungary and Turkey have not ratified them. NATO membership negotiations between Turkey, Sweden and Finland have been postponed indefinitely at Ankara’s …
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US Congress sends Turkey message about overflights in Greece
The US Congress sent a clear message to Turkey that a NATO member-state should not carry out overflights against another member of the Alliance. The message was sent in the explanatory text of the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, which, however, did not include an amendment to …
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Greece FM sends letters to UN, NATO over absurd Turkish claims
Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will send letters to all members of the UN Security Council and to the UN Secretary General, as well as the secretary general of NATO, in the wake of the unprecedented statements made by Turkish officials’ in recent days. The statements made by the Turkish …
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“No sanctions for Greece’s S-300,” says USA as Turkey attempts an issued within NATO
There is no risk of sanctions for the S-300 anti-missile system located in Crete, the US State Department clarified on Thursday. The statement comes as Turkey tries to create an issue against Greece within the NATO claiming an S-300 “locked” a Turkish F-16 fighter jet last month. Responding to a …
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Greece protests NATO congratulating Turkey for “Asia Minor Disaster” in 1922
The permanent representative of Greece in the NATO submitted a protest note to the Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg early Wednesday afternoon. Reason for the protest was a tweet by the NATO Allied Land Command in which it congratulated Turkey for its 100. Anniversary of Independence. Note that the Command is …
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Port in a Storm: Enhancing US-Greece Cooperation at Alexandroupolis
“The USA and its NATO partners urgently need to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the port of Alexandroupolis and by Greece more generally,” says an analysis of the significant strategic role of Greece after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The analysis has been prepared by the Jewish Institute for National …
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Tsipras on NATO Summit: “A terrible diplomatic defeat for Greece”
The outcome of the NATO Summit in Madrid is “a diplomatic Waterloo for Greek positions,” SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras said on Thursday. Speaking to OPEN TV, Tsipras said “we understood what happened in Madrid yesterday (Wednesday), but the Greek government says it is satisfied.” “The government has placed the …
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Biden thanks Erdogan, says he will resolve the F-16 issue
The Biden administration threw its support behind the potential sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, a day after Ankara lifted a veto of NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, and while US president Joe Biden was holding a meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaking at a briefing …
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Greek PM: Sanctions against Russia must be adhered to by all NATO members
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made it clear that NATO’s mission to protect territorial integrity, human rights and international law is not merely empty rhetoric, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday. Addressing the NATO Summit in Madrid on Wednesday, he noted also that the sanctions decided against Russia …
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Turkey, Sweden, Finland sign memorandum on Nordic countries’ NATO bids
Turkey, Sweden and Finland sign memorandum on Nordic countries’ NATO bids after talks in Madrid on Tuesday evening. Finland, Sweden to take concrete steps on extradition of terrorists, preventing terrorist propaganda against Turkey. Turkey committed to agree to support at Madrid Summit invitation of Finland, Sweden to become NATO members. …
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Erdogan to meet with Biden at NATO Summit, rules out talks with Mitsotakis
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be meeting with US counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid later on Tuesday or on Wednesday, he told reporters on Tuesday morning. He ruled out the possibility of holding any talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who …
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Erdogan to raise his claims about “sovereignty” of Greek islands at NATO Summit
At the NATO Summit upcoming week, Turkish president Recep Tayipp Erdogan will raise the issue of “militarization” of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea and their “illegal occupation by Greece,” some Erdogan-affiliated media reported on Sunday oblviously following leaks by president’s aidees. With the title “President Erdogan goes to NATO …
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Greek and Turkish Defense Ministers hold brief meeting amid tensions
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with his Greek counterpart Nikos Panagiotopoulos at the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels, amid escalating tension between the two neighboring countries, media in both countries report on Thursday afternoon. According to state broadcaster ERT, meeting was of short duration and Minister Panagiotopoulos …
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NATO chief Stoltenberg says “Turkey’s security concerns are legitimate”, angers Greeks, Cypriots
Security concerns raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership applications are legitimate, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday during a visit to Finland. “These are legitimate concerns. This is about terrorism, it’s about weapons exports,” Stoltenberg told a joint news conference with Finnish …
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