Greece: We Will Not Send Air Defense Systems to Ukraine

Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated to "REAL FM" radio that Greece will not send air defense systems to Ukraine in order to not jeopardize its own air defense capabilities. This came in response to claims made by the Greek opposition about what it described as "secret diplomacy," following a report by the "Financial Times" on Monday, indicating that EU and NATO allies are exerting intense pressure on Greece and Spain to provide Ukraine with "Patriot" and "S-300" air defense systems, suggesting that the needs of both countries are "not as significant as Ukraine's" for such systems. Marinakis denied these claims at a press conference, but the largest opposition party described his denial as "tepid" and accused the authorities of engaging in "secret diplomacy." They demanded an immediate response regarding the accuracy of the "Financial Times" report about the pressure on Greece and requested full disclosure of all commitments made by Athens. Marinakis added, "I have answered clearly that we will not take any steps that would jeopardize the country's deterrent capability and air defense, and this was a clear denial on my part. Since I have been asked again to respond to publications and rumors regarding assistance to Ukraine at this level, I believe there is no longer room for misinterpretation."