Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias has expressed opposition to the possible sale of Meteor missiles to Turkiye by a consortium including France.
He discussed the matter with the French Ambassador to Athens, Laurence Auer.
In a post on X, Dendias stated that he had met with Ambassador Auer at the Ministry of National Defence to seek an official explanation regarding the reported sale. He also shared a photograph from the meeting. The photo was against diplomatic custom, as the representative of the French President, Ambassador Auer was shown from her back, and Defence Minister Dendias was behind his table at his office. Standard photo op protocol requires two figures to stand or sit next to each other. Such an image is not preferred in advanced bilateral relations, as it involves one party explaining the other rather than a dialogue between two equals.
Dendias wrote:
“Following the relevant briefing of Prime Minister Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Georgios Gerapetritis, I met today at the Ministry of National Defence with the Ambassador of France, Ms Laurence Auer, to request an official explanation regarding information about the sale of METEOR missiles to Turkey by a consortium in which France participates.
I expressed to the French Ambassador Greece’s strong opposition to such a prospect, which is not in line with the hitherto excellent strategic relations between the two countries.”
Greece recently procured 24 Rafale fighter jets from France, with an option for 12 additional aircraft. However, the Greek government later announced that it did not require the optional batch.
The Meteor, classified as a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), is powered by a solid-fuel ramjet engine, enabling it to maintain sustained thrust and reach speeds exceeding Mach 4. The missile also boasts a range exceeding 100 kilometres and advanced target-tracking capabilities. The missile’s range and speed make it unique for targeting force multiplier assets such as tankers or AWACS-type aircraft, which are mostly deployed far behind the confrontation line.
Turkiye plans to integrate Meteor missiles into the Eurofighter Typhoon jets it aims to procure from the United Kingdom. Additionally, Turkiye is continuing efforts to develop indigenous alternatives (Gökhan) to the missile.
TurDef’s Note: Defence Minister Dendias preferred “Turkey” instead of the official name recognised by the U.N.: Turkiye.
