Greek opposition slams Mitsotakis for 'blank cheque' to US at NATO summit

Summit highlights transatlantic shift

The party’s foreign affairs section argued the Ankara summit reveals a new security architecture in which the United States transfers military and financial responsibility for Ukraine to Europe. They described European leadership as “helpless and weak,” accepting disproportionate burdens at the expense of social cohesion and failing to assert a meaningful diplomatic role for peace. This framing sets the stage for their critique of Greece’s participation.

Indefinite US access to bases

The statement directly challenges the prime minister to account for what his government obtained in return for granting Washington indefinite use of six military bases and the port of Alexandroupolis. It points to heavy weapon shipments to Ukraine and prominent public declarations as evidence that Greece gave more than it received. The party’s language is blunt: Mitsotakis “gave a blank cheque to the US.”

Mr Mitsotakis must explain what he brings in his baggage that serves the national interest: he indefinitely granted US access to six Greek bases and Alexandroupolis port, led arms shipments to Ukraine, and in exchange Turkey is not pressured over its provocations, while its role and defence industry are rapidly upgraded.

Failure to condition NATO on Turkey

The statement notes that the prime minister mentioned casus belli again but set no conditions inside NATO: no demand to address Turkish provocations, no push to lift restrictions on NATO exercises around Greek islands, and no guarantee against the use of American weapons that Ankara claims apply to F-16s. It asks whether Mitsotakis is simply relying on allies’ “sensitivity” to protect Greek interests.

The two planned headquarters in Istanbul and Adana, Trump’s statements on the F-35, and the sale of American engines are cited as clear proof that the government has become “a simple observer of developments.” The party also warns that the much-touted alliance with France is eroding, as the path is now open for French anti-aircraft sales to Turkey after the Meteor missile deal.

Call for a new foreign-policy direction

The communiqué concludes that Greece urgently needs a change of page, returning to an active, multidimensional foreign policy. It calls for a US relationship built on mutual benefit rather than blank cheques, and for a Greek-Turkish strategy with a beginning, middle, and end, binding Turkey to a rule-of-law dialogue while leveraging alliances and EU-Turkey relations.

The country immediately needs a change of page and a return to an active multidimensional foreign policy. We need a strategy for Greek-American relations based on mutual benefit and not blank cheques. And a strategy for Greek-Turkish affairs with a beginning, middle and end, committing Turkey to a dialogue on the basis of international law while exploiting our alliances.