Greek prime minister confident of US, EU support against Ankara

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) - Greece is confident about the support from the US and EU against Türkiye, multiple news outlets cited the Greek prime minister as saying.

During Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the country's "red lines" were emphasized upon in the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, according to pro-government daily Ta Nea.

Greece relies on the support of the allies as well as the readiness of the armed forces, he said.

Türkiye, on the other hand, is isolated, he added.

Athens will be closely monitoring the Turkish National Security Council meeting which will be chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, the report said.

The ongoing escalation between the two NATO allies as well as Ankara’s alternative plans if Washington refuses to proceed with the F-16 deal will be on the top of the National Security Council meeting’s agenda, it added.

The US decision to fortify its military presence in Greece’s northern port city of Alexandroupolis and choosing Greece as its strategic partner and energy hub resulted in "provocative and hostile" remarks from Ankara, 27/7.gr reported.

In a similar vein, public broadcaster ERT quoted Deputy Education Minister Angelos Syrigos as saying that the US abandoned its decades-long neutrality between Athens and Ankara and explicitly supports the former.

Turkish military drones recorded the deployment of Greek armored vehicles on the islands of Midilli (Lesvos) and Sisam (Samos), which Ankara maintains is in violation of international law. The footage was released on Sunday.

Türkiye on Monday summoned the Greek ambassador and called for an end to violations on Aegean islands and restoring their non-military status.

In the note, the ministry stated that the deployment was another violation of Greece's obligations under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris. These islands were required to be demilitarized under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Treaty of Paris, so any troops or weapons on the islands are strictly forbidden.