The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met today, Friday 5 July 2024, in Athens, with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy as well as Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell.
Afterwards, Mr Dendias and Borrell went to Larisa, where they visited the HQ of Operation “ASPIDES” (OHQ EUNAVFOR ASPIDES) at the 1st Army/EU-ΟHQ “ACHILLEAS”, accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis and the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras HN.
In the joint statements, the Minister of National Defence stated the following:
“It is a great pleasure to be here today, at the HQ of the 1st Army, to receive the High Representative and Vice President of the Commission, Mr Josep Borrell.
Our meeting today, is of course one of the many we have conducted the last years and I would like to take the opportunity to thank him, overall, for the exquisite cooperation I had with him, when I was Minister of Foreign Affairs, and now as the Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic. It was five hard years, because I cannot forget that we experienced together the outbreak of the Covid pandemic, the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the energy crisis, the friction and tensions with our neighbouring Turkey in the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus, the instrumentalisation of the refugees, challenges at the North, Sub-Saharan Africa, the attack of Hamas against Israel, the attacks of the Houthi against the freedom of navigation.
In all these cases, Josep Borrell was a man we could count on.
In our talks today, of course, the reinforcement of the European pillar of Security and Defence and Operation “ASPIDES” was the main subject, the greatest operation ever for the European Union, led by Greece and hosted by the HQ, here in Larisa.
For us, the Hellenic Republic, the reinforcement of the European mechanisms of Defence and Security is a strategic priority and finally the establishment of a defence arm of the EU. That is why we had a primary role, from the beginning, in Operation “IRINI”, north of Libya and that is why we have a central role in Operation “ASPIDES”.
In the context of that perception for the joint European effort in defence, the proposal of the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk and the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we believe has a further significant political dimension. However, it must be made clear that this perception must govern all the states of our Union. It is not possible to move on with the support of just a few states.
Now, regarding today’s visit of our esteemed guest, we visited the Centre of Operations of Operation “ASPIDES” a few minutes ago and we had a detailed briefing by Admiral Gryparis and the staff officers of the various states serving here for the latest developments.
“ASPIDES” is the proof that when the EU has the will it also has the capacity.
It can react and it can become a security provider in the global community. I should not omit that Operation “ASPIDES” is a purely defensive operation, with significant role in the preservation of freedom in navigation.
I also had the opportunity, during our last meeting in Athens, to tell to the High Representative about our great reformation effort in the Hellenic Armed Forces, the “Agenda 2030” and during our trip to Djibouti I will have the opportunity to discuss with him the need to enhance the Armed Forces of the European Union.
In Greece we are doing it already, with the establishment of the Hellenic Centre for Innovation, but I think that the European dimension of innovation is also necessary to be discussed and expanded.
Again I would like to thank Josep Borrell for his presence here and his sincere and cordial cooperation all these hard years”.
Then, Mr Dendias and Mr Borrell, accompanied once more by the Chief of HNDGS and the Chief of HNGS, will travel to Djibouti, where, on Saturday 6 July 2024, they will visit, at the town’s port, the “PSARA” Frigate, which participates in the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES.