The official campaign of the Greek candidacy as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2025-26 was launched by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias in New York during an event organized by the Permanent Mission of Greece to the UN. The Greek candidacy to the UN Security Council aims to expand the geopolitical footprint of our country on the international stage.

In the presence of dozens of heads of permanent delegations from around the world, the Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that “Greece always supports dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable means to achieve the main goals of this Organization: International peace, development and promotion of human rights”.

Mr. Dendias focused on the words democracy, dialogue and diplomacy, which will form the road map for Greece’s candidacy to the UN General Assembly. In this context, he thoroughly analyzed the regional priorities that Greece has set, which are based on the principles of multilateralism and respect for International Law with the aim of defending the principles of the rules-based international order.

As he pointed out, Greece “is strongly committed to the promotion of rules-based multilateralism, based on International Law. In this context, we will work with all members of the United Nations to support the system of collective security established by the Charter, with particular emphasis on the prohibition of the use or threat of use of force.”

Regarding the priorities that characterize the Greek candidacy, Mr. Dendias made special reference to the issues concerning security and the safeguarding of free navigation, since, as he said, Greece will work in the SA to further promote the principles of its Law Sea

N. Dendias meeting with the UN Secretary General in New York

A little earlier, the Foreign Minister had met at the UN headquarters with the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, to officially present the Greek candidacy to him. Among the other topics discussed were the prospects for the resumption of talks on the Cyprus issue after the election of the new president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, as well as the latest developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine and in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The message conveyed by Mr. Dendias is that the election of a new president is a good occasion to explore whether there is room for a new initiative that could help break the current impasse. In this light, the minister explained, what Greece is doing is encouraging the Secretary General to undertake further efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue, always within the framework established by the decisions of the United Nations Security Council.

When asked about the attitude of the Secretary General towards the Greek candidacy, Mr. Dendias commented that “the Secretary General welcomed the brochure and the candidacy. Of course, he couldn’t take a stand on that. But, because I want to be honest, I didn’t see him unhappy.”