The war in Ukraine at the center of the meeting N. Panagiotopoulos-M. Weber

The Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, met yesterday, Thursday, March 3, with the leader of the Parliamentary Group of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber.

As it was announced, the minister referred to the recent developments in Ukraine, emphasizing that our country condemns the Russian invasion, which is a blatant violation of international law. He also stressed the importance of EU decisions to provide assistance to Ukraine, while noting that Greece provided, from the outset, defense and humanitarian assistance.

He also noted that developments in Ukraine call for defense and security initiatives to strengthen the resilience and strategic autonomy of the European Union. In this context, he welcomed the intention of EU Member States to increase their defense spending.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos stated that any form of revisionism, which is directed against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of any country, is condemnable.

For the “Strategic Compass”, which will soon be adopted by the EU, he stressed that it must clearly reflect the conditions created by the Russian invasion and all the challenges and security threats facing the EU, based on the Threat Analysis. ).

He also stressed the need for uniform, consistent and without exceptions the application of sanctions against Russia by all countries, in order for them to deliver the desired results.

During the conversation, the statement added, the role of Greece as a pillar of stability and security for the European Union, NATO and the wider region of the Southeastern Mediterranean was highlighted.