(14 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Athens, Greece – 14 April 2025
1. Various of France’s Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Greece’s Defence Minister Nikos Dendias inspecting honour guards, greeting delegation members, listening to national anthems during welcome ceremony at Greece’s defence ministry
2. Close up of French and Greek flags
3. Various of Lecornu and Dendias arriving for meeting with their delegations
4. Medium of Lecornu and Dendias watching during signing of deal in which Greece is buying anti-ship missiles from France
5. Medium of media
6. Various of Lecornu and Dendias exchanging gifts following meeting
7. Medium of Lecornu and Dendias arriving for joint statement
8. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Nikos Dendias, Defence Minister:
"Greece is always confident that France will take into account in its decisions the security of Greece and the need for Greece to maintain a comparative technological advantage of deterrence against the forces of revisionism. It is known to everyone, we have not hidden it, Greece does not threaten, but is threatened."
9. Medium of Lecornu listening
10. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Nikos Dendias, Defence Minister:
"Today, we had the opportunity to discuss our cooperation in the areas of security, defense, and the defense industry. We already have a close cooperation. This is reflected in the acquisition of the three Belharra (frigates) and the discussion about the acquisition of the fourth, the acquisition of the Rafale (fighter airplanes) with their weapons are key to deterrence and defense in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean. Also, just before this, in front of you, the signing ceremony of an intergovernmental contract for the supply of 16 Exocet (anti-ship) missiles took place."
7. Various of Lecornu and Dendias shaking hands leaving
STORYLINE:
Greece signed a deal Monday for the purchase of anti-ship missiles from France, as it seeks to bolster its defenses in a procurement program aimed mainly at addressing tensions with neighboring Turkey.
Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias signed the agreement for the 16 Exocet missiles with his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu, who was on a one-day visit to Athens. The two did not disclose the cost of the deal.
It is the latest in a series of purchases of military equipment from France, with Greece having already bought two dozen Rafale warplanes and three Belharra-class frigates, while Dendias said discussions are progressing for the addition of a fourth frigate.
France is also providing Greece with NH-90 military helicopters, Denias said.
Athens has said it will spend 25 billion euros ($27 billion) over the next decade to adapt its military to evolving high-tech warfare technologies.
Although NATO allies, Greece and Turkey have long-standing disputes over boundaries in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean that have brought them close to war several times in recent decades.
Speaking in Parliament earlier this month, Dendias said Greece plans to shift from traditional defense systems to a high-tech, networked strategy centered on mobile, AI-powered missile systems, drone technologies, and advanced command units — reducing reliance on conventional fleets.
Greece’s modernization drive — launched after years of defense cuts during the 2010–2018 financial crisis — already includes all branches of the armed forces and focuses on cooperation with France, Israel, and the United States.
AP Video by Lefteris Pitarakis
===========================================================
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/986a74488ff84d64a38a364c6ba6ab6f
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in April 19, 2025, 12:05 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
