Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis Says Greece and Türkiye Must Remain Neighbors Despite Disputes Over Maritime Rights

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue with Türkiye despite longstanding maritime disputes, while declaring that Greece's armed forces are stronger than ever and capable of defending the country's sovereignty.

Speaking at the Greece Talks 2026 conference in Athens on November 10, Mitsotakis defended his government's military modernization efforts, arguing that stronger defense capabilities were essential to protecting Greek national interests.

“Our armed forces today are stronger than ever,” he said. “Not because we want to admire our ships, tanks or aircraft during parades.”

He explained that military strength allows Greece to safeguard its sovereignty and defend its sovereign rights.

Turning to relations with Ankara, Mitsotakis acknowledged that geography requires the two countries to coexist regardless of their political disagreements.

“Our geography will not change. We are condemned to be neighbors with Türkiye. That will never change,” he said.

He described the delimitation of maritime zones as an extremely complicated issue but insisted that unresolved disputes should not prevent diplomatic engagement or cooperation on regional connectivity projects.

Mitsotakis said Greece could keep communication channels open and pursue such projects without compromising the legal validity of its territorial and maritime claims.

His remarks come amid continuing disagreements over the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector and maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean. Mitsotakis said he did not expect an escalation over the project but maintained that Greece was prepared for any eventuality.

He also warned that proposed Turkish legislation concerning the “Blue Homeland” doctrine would place an additional burden on bilateral relations and could prompt a strong Greek response.