Greece's Gerapetritis calls Turkish casus belli 'huge burden', says Athens not a spectator after NATO summit
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, in an ERT interview on 12 July, called Turkey's casus belli a 'huge burden' and incompatible with its international security role, while defending Greece's arms programs and dialogue with Ankara after the NATO summit.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis used a post-NATO summit interview on state broadcaster ERT to send a sharp message to Ankara over its lingering casus belli, while pushing back against domestic critics who accuse the government of passive diplomacy. Speaking on 12 July 2026, he insisted that Greece has shifted from spectator to protagonist, and that no concrete US arms commitments had been made to Turkey during the summit.
No US commitments to Turkey on arms
Addressing the warm reception extended to US President Donald Trump by Turkish officials during the NATO summit, Gerapetritis downplayed the political imagery. He stressed that beyond the optics, nothing tangible had materialised for Turkey's armament programmes.
No one can say that there has been any commitment or promise. Everything else is speculation.
He contrasted the current situation with 2019, when Greece was excluded from the F-35 programme and the F-16 upgrade, while Turkey participated as a co-producer in the American fighter project. Today, he said, Greece has expanded both its fleet and air power, positioning itself among the core of multiple arms programmes, including the acquisition of F-35s and the upgrade of its F-16s.
Casus belli 'huge burden' for relations and Turkey's EU path
The minister devoted significant attention to Turkey's casus belli, describing it as a 'huge burden' not only on Greek-Turkish relations but also on Turkey's course toward Europe and the West. He argued that maintaining a threat of war against a neighbouring and allied state is incompatible with modern international law and Turkey's ambition to participate in European and NATO security structures.
My feeling is that a lifting could happen. It would be useful, but I think it is owed.
He underlined that under the UN Charter and current international conditions, it is unacceptable for a country seeking an active role in the global security architecture to retain a war threat against a fellow NATO member.
Defending dialogue with Ankara
Gerapetritis pushed back forcefully against domestic voices calling for a complete break in communication with Turkey. He labelled such a stance a 'policy of destruction', noting that every Greek government since the restoration of democracy in 1974 has maintained open channels with Ankara.
Not discussing with Turkey at all is truly a policy of destruction.
He recalled that during the premiership of Antonis Samaras, two meetings took place with Recep Tayyip Erdogan and six rounds of exploratory contacts were conducted. The real question, he said, is whether dialogue yields benefits for Greece, and he expressed confidence that over the past three years Greece has emerged absolutely benefited.
Secret diplomacy claims rejected
Responding to allegations of secret negotiations, the foreign minister dismissed them outright. He said that he regularly briefs Parliament, the National Council for Foreign Policy, the relevant parliamentary committee, and political party leaders.
Claims of secret diplomacy are figments of the imagination of some. There is nothing secret.
Gerapetritis also addressed criticism from former prime minister Alexis Tsipras regarding the F-35 developments and Turkey, though the specifics of that exchange were not fully detailed in the interview excerpts. He maintained that Greece's foreign policy is judged on tangible outcomes, not impressions, and that the country's enhanced armament programmes and diplomatic standing tell their own story.
