Following my proposal, there will also be an extraordinary Summit which will take place on February 3 with the sole purpose of European defense, said the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during the press conference he gave late at night in Brussels after the end of the proceedings of the European Union Summit.

At the same time, the prime minister sent out the message that it is in the interest of all parties involved to consolidate stability in Syria after the collapse of the rigid, as he described it, Assad regime.

When asked about this, the prime minister characterized the role that Greece has to play in the next day of Syria as important, saying that Greece is de facto playing the role of the spiritual protector of the Greek Orthodox, whose safety is a primary concern for Athens. Responding to Turkey’s involvement in Syria, Mr. Mitsotakis stressed that it is too early to draw safe conclusions about Turkey’s role and its future effects in Syria. “Everyone should be interested in ensuring the territorial integrity of Syria and the protection of religious minorities in the country” noted Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who emphasized that both he and the president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, informed the European partners about the risks that could arise for the stability of the wider region from any attempt by Turkey to delimit Exclusive Economic Zone with the new regime in Syria clearly reiterating that the Turkish-Libyan memorandum is illegal.

As far as Immigration is concerned, the prime minister spoke of voluntary returns to Syria, stressing, however, the need to ensure that those who wish to return to the country will have their basic needs covered.

In response to a question about Ukraine, Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized that the European Union reaffirmed its will for multi-level support for Ukraine, so that Kyiv does not find itself in a position of weakness when the peace talks start. With regards to the fixed Greek position for an increase in resources in the direction of common European defense, the Prime Minister, after announcing that an informal Summit will be held on Belgian soil at the beginning of February on Greek initiative, with the exclusive subject of European defense on the agenda, spoke about the need for geopolitical and defense awakening of our continent. Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted that more European resources should be mobilized, but also that a European defense fund should be created. “It will also be a message to the USA that as the European Union we take our responsibilities seriously,” said the prime minister.

In a question about the statements of the Prime Minister of North Macedonia about the Macedonian people, the Prime Minister clarified that he pointed out to Mr. Mickoski that the agreement should be fully respected as well as the use of the name erga omnes.

The prime minister’s statements in detail:

About Ukraine and how far the EU is ready to go

The position of the European Union remains firm. We continue to support Ukraine not only militarily but also financially, because we want to enable Ukraine to negotiate an eventual peace with Russia on its own terms and at a time of its choosing but not in conditions of weakness. I don’t know what the American president’s policy will be. From here on, what I know is that the conclusions of the European Council reflect that the position of the European Union on this issue has not changed.

About Syria and Turkey’s involvement

We expressed our satisfaction at the fact that a tight-lipped regime which in recent weeks, days after we learned the level and intensity of violence it was using to effectively suffocate the Syrian people. The fact that the regime collapsed is in principle a positive development. What interests us all, and I believe should also interest Turkey, is the defense of Syria’s territorial integrity and the possibility of a new democratically legitimized regime emerging that first and foremost respects the rights of religious minorities . You know very well that I was in Lebanon a few days ago, I met with the patriarch of Antioch. Greece has an important role to play as its spiritual protector and for the patriarchate of Antioch and by extension all the Greek Orthodox who live in Syria and Lebanon.
The first concern at the moment is precisely their safety and that we are not faced with new refugee flows as a result of people feeling insecure with the new situation. And of course I would tell you that Europe as a whole and also Greece has a reason to push for stability in Syria because this is the necessary condition for refugees to be able to return from Europe in safe conditions. Obviously we are not there yet and it is too early to draw conclusions. As it is too early to draw conclusions about Turkey’s role in Syria and what the future ramifications of Turkish involvement in a country with which I remember has a border might be.

If they raised with Nikos Christodoulidis the issue of a Syria-Turkey agreement on the EEZ

Not only from the point of view of Greece but also against the European Union, the Turkish-Libyan memorandum is illegal and untimely. Obviously, both myself and President Christodoulidis informed our counterparts about these discussions that are seeing the light of day that some kind of exclusive economic zone could be established between Turkey and Syria which ignores the indisputable sovereign rights of Cyprus. So there’s been an update on something that right now at this level, it’s just moving through the news cycle to date. On the issue of returns, I believe that what we need to explore is whether there is a willingness for voluntary returns. At the same time, let’s support those structures, especially the structures of the United Nations Organization, which will ensure that the people who return will at least have their basic needs covered. And of course, as you know, Greece and many other European countries have essentially suspended the procedures for serving asylum decisions to Syrians who are in our country for a very simple reason. Because as a rule these decisions had a basic justification, that the asylum seeker sought protection because he was in danger from the Assad regime which no longer exists. So we have to wait a bit to see how the situation will develop. Obviously, Syria has not turned into a safe country overnight. It would be naive to claim such a thing on the other hand, but the facts have changed and that is why I repeat that the stabilization of Syria is not only of interest for the protection of the Greek Orthodox element in the country which is very important, it is also very important for all of Europe because in this way a return of people who left Syria precisely because they felt persecuted by a regime that no longer exists could be launched.

For North Macedonia

In front of me, I mean in the meeting we had yesterday at the Summit, but also this morning when we met together in the context of the preparatory meeting of the European People’s party, he used the official and only name of the country which is “North Macedonia”, which moreover has and obligation to use erga omnes as well.
I reiterated both yesterday and today the need for absolute respect for international agreements. I will not repeat my opinion on the Prespa agreement, but I have said that our country is obliged to respect it and the neighboring country is equally obliged to respect it, and this is obviously a necessary condition to open its European path.

For European Defense

Following my own proposal, there will also be an extraordinary summit which will take place on February 3, with the sole purpose of European defense. Greece’s positions are known. You are right, however, when you say that the enormous geopolitical tension we are facing requires a geopolitical and defense awakening of our continent, which can vary on many different levels. I believe that the mobilization of European resources is also required, as I have written and explained many times, in order to have a European defense fund that will be able to finance defense actions that will concern the entire European Union. Because this is not an action in competition with NATO but completely complementary. And that in this way we could also send a message to the USA, which I am sure that even with President Trump, they will push for more defense spending, so we also take seriously the responsibilities that, after all, also belong to our own defense.