Yesterday, Tuesday, February 7, 2023, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, completed his official visit to the United Kingdom, where he met with his British counterpart, Ret Hon Mr. Ben Wallace.

After the official reception at the “Horse Guards Parade”, the Minister of National Defence and his British counterpart went to Portsmouth, where they held talks on Destroyer “HMS DIAMOND”. Furthermore, the “Joint Vision Statement” was also signed between Greece and the United Kingdom.

During the talks, it was underlined that the strong ties of the two countries are based on the common principles and values of freedom, democracy and the Rule of Law.

The importance of supporting Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion and the defence of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity was also emphasized, while the developments in the Eastern Mediterranean were discussed, along with their impact on the peace, security and stability of the region.

The “Joint Vision Statement” confirms the commitment of Greece and the UK to mutual support and assistance in order to face common challenges and achieve common goals in the field of security. Moreover, the said statement reflects the countries’ commitment to deepening their defence cooperation, with particular emphasis on operational training, exercises and the prospect of strengthening cooperation in the fields of defence industry and technology.

As Strategic partners and NATO Allies, the two countries confirmed their commitment to respect the sovereignty, sovereign rights and territorial integrity of states.

Greece and the United Kingdom underlined their commitment to addressing threats to peace and security in the Mediterranean and to respecting International Law and in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The United Kingdom acknowledged the support Greece provides to British forces through facilities in Souda Bay and Chania, while the strategic importance of the port of Alexandroupolis for Europe and NATO was highlighted.

Greece and the United Kingdom have agreed to draw up an annual “Road Map” that will entail the priorities of defence cooperation, while an annual Security and Defence Dialogue is being established to review progress and explore new initiatives to further develop bilateral cooperation in the defence and security sectors.

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