Jul 11, 2024
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said that military aid to Ukraine has “created holes in our own defense capabilities,” sparking a backlash from opposition parties.
The premier made the comments in an interview with the Hudson Institute on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington.
SYRIZA MP and former defense minister Evangelos Apostolakis reiterated the main opposition party’s stance against sending weapons systems, emphasizing that assistance to Ukraine should not undermine Greece’s defense.
Apostolakis noted that the government had assured the party that there was no strain on Greece’s defense after sending aid to Ukraine.
The minor New Left opposition party also criticized Mitsotakis’ statements regarding the Czech initiative, through which some 20 countries coordinate to provide financial and military aid to Ukraine.
Last year, Greece and the Czech Republic signed an intergovernmental agreement for the sale of old and no longer used munitions, involving medium- and large-caliber guns, from Greek army warehouses to Ukraine.
In the interview, Mitsotakis said initiatives like that have proven to be very efficient in terms of delivering aid to Ukraine as quickly as possible.
The New Left noted there is a contradiction between Mitsotakis’ appreciation of simple systems and previous statements by the Defense Ministry claiming that Greece was getting rid of “useless weapons” through this initiative.
Greece has actively supported Ukraine since the onset of the conflict, providing substantial military aid, including missiles and ammunition. This support is part of a broader European effort to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities against Russian aggression.
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis characterized the opposition parties’ statements as a “cheap tactic,” claiming Mitsotakis’ “holes” reference applied to Europe, not Greece.
Mitsotakis applauded Europe’s unity and the 50-billion-euro financial aid sent to Ukraine, adding that member states are also providing Ukraine with defense capabilities, and will continue to do so.
“Initiatives such as the Czech initiative have proven very efficient in terms of delivering aid to Ukraine as quickly as possible. At the same time, we need to look at the holes this has created in our own defense capabilities,” he said.
“As much as we talk about sophisticated systems, we also need to make sure that we have the basics. Ukraine, for example, demonstrated the importance of 155mm shells, and not everything is going to be as technology-driven in a modern war as many people thought. So, making sure that we streamline production, strengthen our stockpiles, while at the same time supporting Ukraine, is a challenge we have to meet,” he added.
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