Today17:19
FT: Pressure on Greece for air defense systems in Ukraine
What the Financial Times article claims. What the Government Spokesperson says. “Fire” at the government from the opposition.
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“THE Greece and Spain are under intense pressure from their EU and NATO allies to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine.”the FT writes, as Kiev prepares to demand more aid at a meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers on Monday.
It is recalled that Kiev this month made an urgent appeal to Western allies for seven additional air defense systemssuch as the American-made Patriot or the Soviet-made S-300, as Russia steps up an air and missile campaign against the country’s cities and power infrastructure.
Only Germany has announced the deployment of a Patriot system, while other EU leaders used a summit in Brussels last week to personally urge Spanish and Greek Prime Ministers Pedro Sanchez and Kyriakos Mitsotakis respectively, yes donate some of their systems to Ukraineaccording to people briefed on the discussions, ANT1 US correspondent Thanasis Tsitsas reports.
The two leaders, whose armed forces together have more than a dozen Patriot systems plus others like S-300were informed that their need was not as great as Ukraine’s and that they faced no imminent threat. “We all know who has them, we all know where they are and we all know who really needs them,” said one of the people.
Officials said it is being practiced less pressure in Poland and Romania, which also have Patriots, to consider sending missions to Kiev, given their more vulnerable position on the border with Ukraine. Ukraine currently has at least three Patriot systems, including one procured from the US and two from Germany, before Berlin’s announcement last week.
Kiev also operates long-range surface-to-air missile systems developed by the former Soviet Union, including the S-300 and S-200 systems. A converted and updated version of the latter was used to shoot down a Russian Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bomber over Russia’s Stavropol Krai region last week, according to Ukrainian officials. Air defense interceptors are likely to be included in the new US aid package approved by the House of Representatives on Saturday.
Pressure to donate systems will intensify at a meeting of foreign and defense ministers from all 27 EU member states in Luxembourg on Monday, officials said. Kiev is understood to be particularly interested in Greece’s aging S-300 systems, which Ukrainian forces already have in their arsenal and have experience with. “There are countries that don’t have an immediate need for their air defense systems, to be quite honest,” said an EU diplomat involved in preparations for the meeting. “Each country is asked to decide what it can allocate.”
The defense ministries of Greece and Spain declined to comment when contacted by the Financial Times. Sanchez said after meeting Zelenskyy last month that Spain “will provide new capabilities in 2024 to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.” For his part, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that he expected new commitments for air defense procurement “to be announced soon”, but did not give details of the countries or weapons involved. NATO has been conducting an audit of the air defense capabilities its member states have and where they are deployed, Jens Stoltenberg said, adding that “this mapping confirms that there are available systems, including Patriot systems, available to provide to Ukraine.”
It is noted that the foreign and defense ministers will also discuss the crisis in the Middle East and Sudan, but Ukraine remains the most critical issue. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov will participate in the meeting via video conference.
“The most important discussion will be to determine what member states can do to support Ukraine’s air defense. That’s the most important thing”a senior EU official said according to the publication.
In categorical denial of the Financial Times report for the S-300 mission to Ukraine, KGovernment Spokesperson, Pavlos Marinakis when informing political editors. “There is not going to be any move that will even minimally endanger the deterrent capability or the air defense of our country. We have many times made many denials, I answer you categorically even today” he stated.
SYRIZA: FT revelations confirm secret government diplomacy
“After today’s reports by the government representative Mr. Marinakis in the political editors’ briefing, we call on Mr. Mitsotakis and the government to respond immediately as to whether or not the Financial Times article is true or not, according to which Greece was pressured in its Summit Council EU, in order to provide the S-300 anti-missile systems to Ukraine”, SYRIZA-PS notes in a statement.
“The revelations of the FT confirm the existence of secret diplomacy on the part of the government as well as secret agreements being made for Ukraine which Mr. Zelensky himself had revealed with his posts on social media thanking the Greek Prime Minister. Mr. Mitsotakis must immediately inform the National Delegation”, the official opposition points out, adding that “during the briefing also, Mr. Marinakis said that “it is something good to happen” that journalists or extra-institutional actors intervene to change or to amend government legislation, which was enthusiastically revealed by the elected ND MEP candidate and follower of the Hundred slogan ‘Patris, Religion, Family’, Mr. Autias”. “In other words, Mr. Marinakis told us today that the government listens and adapts to the comments of third parties and its “friends” on critical bills, while systematically ignoring the institutional comments and amendments of the opposition in the Parliament”comments and continues:
“It is at least unfortunate that the Mitsotakis government and its representative accuse SYRIZA-PS of Golden Dawn and its offshoots when it has included in its European ballot, a featured singer of Kasidiaris!”.
“Regarding the “cruise” of the president of SYRIZA-PS, Stefanos Kasselakis, Mr. Marinakis probably got confused with Mr. Mitsotakis’ dips in Marathi, at the time when the great crisis had broken out in the Middle East”concludes the SYRIZA-PS announcement.
KKE: Methods for further involvement of the country in the imperialist war in Ukraine
“The Financial Times article that mentions the existence of pressure from Zelensky and EU leaders on the Greek government to send Patriot and S-300 air defense systems, proves the schemes to further involve the country in the imperialist war in Ukraine” notes in his comment, the KKE.
“The response of the government representative to a related question, not only confirms these pressures, but – indirectly but clearly – also the existence of relevant negotiations, since what he denied is not the possibility of sending the weapons systems, but the “risking of the deterrent capacity of country” that may be caused by such shipment” adds the party’s comment and concludes:
“It is confirmed that the dangerous participation of the country in the imperialist war plans is being strengthened, with the responsibility of the ND government and the complicity of the other parties that swear by the “sacred alliance of NATO”».
THE Greek solutioncomments on the publication with a statement in which it states:
“Publications by foreign media reveal “pressures” on the government that essentially call for the disbanding of the Greek Air Defense under the pretext of strengthening Kyiv.
The Hellenic Solution warns that those who decide, subscribe and advocate for the deployment of any anti-aircraft system in Ukraine, will be held accountable.
The same applies to those who illegally and coup d’état weakened our national defense by sending defense material to both Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.”
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