Greece’s official opposition to the sale of Meteor missiles to Turkey.
The Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, met today, January 29, 2025, with the Ambassador of France to Greece , Laurence Auer, at the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to request explanations regarding the information on the sale of METEOR missiles to Turkey by a consortium in which France participates.
This meeting took place following a briefing that Nikos Dendias received from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis.
Dendias stressed to the French Ambassador that Greece considers the sale of METEOR missiles to Turkey a negative development and requested official information on the details of the case.
“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“, said Nikos Dendias.
“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“, he added.
The Meteor missile is a air-to-air missile designed to provide strategic advantage to air forces. It is distinguished by its range exceeding 100 kilometers , its speed of 4 Mach, and its ability to engage targets beyond visual range (BVR).
Turkey’s potential acquisition of Meteors is considered a game-changer for the balance of power in the Aegean. By integrating them into the new Eurofighter Typhoons that Turkey plans to acquire, the Turkish armed forces will gain the ability to create no-fly zones over wide areas of the Aegean .
Turkey is seeking to acquire Meteors as an “antidote” to the Greek Rafale , aiming to balance the strategic situation in the region. The Meteor missiles will enhance both the defensive and offensive capabilities of the Turkish Air Force.
The Hellenic Air Force has Meteor missiles for 24 Rafale aircraft.