“The war in Ukraine has served as a wake-up call for Europe and is reshaping it not only as a political and economic union, but also as a defence union, just as Konstantinos Karamanlis envisioned it”, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis said today, speaking to students of the French Institute of Advanced Studies on National Defence, at an event organized by the French Embassy and held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Initially, Mr. Varvitsiotis referred to the geostrategic and military threat that has emerged following the war in Ukraine. “So far, Europe has reacted in a timely, coordinated and unprecedented manner. We have sent a message that we will not tolerate Russia's revisionist policy and that we are determined to stand up for the values that the Ukrainians are now defending with their blood: democracy, freedom, independence and sovereignty”. He clarified however, that the only country that does not comply is Turkey. “At a time when everyone is bleeding, Turkey is making economic gains”, he said, referring to the increase in Turkish exports to Russia.
The Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs then referred to the issue of NATO enlargement and commented that the accession of Sweden and Finland will enhance Euro-Atlantic ties and that we should work closely with our American partners to promote the European security plan.
Regarding the energy crisis, Mr. Varvitsiotis referred to the economic blackmail that Europe is being subjected to, as it is heavily dependent on Russian energy sources, and stressed the need for the EU to become independent, to establish a competitive market and invest in diversifying its sources, exploiting the natural gas reserves of the Eastern Mediterranean.
The Alternate Minister also noted the risk of a food crisis that is arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as new migration flows that Europe needs to deal with in a coordinated manner.
Finally, Mr. Varvitsiotis referred to the bilateral relations between Greece and France, placing an emphasis on the recent Greek-French defence agreement, which is based on the two countries’ shared European values.
The French Ambassador to Greece, Patrick Maisonnave, attended the event
May 16, 2022