METEOR Strike: How Greece’s Misguided Foreign Policy Pushed France to Turkey
Tensions in the Mediterranean between Greece and Türkiye might soon escalate to a broader European friction between two traditional allies, France and Greece. Reports from late January suggest that France is willing to sell METEOR missiles to Türkiye. Nikos Dendias, the Defence Minister of Greece had a meeting with the French ambassador Laurence Auer, requesting official information about the potential sale of METEOR missiles to Greece’s adversary, Türkiye. Dendias stressed that this potential deal might jeopardize the ‘excellent strategic relations’ of the two nations. Ironically, while Greece is looking to France for answers about this ‘shocking’ potential deal, they should instead be taking a look in the mirror to realize that the French approach to Türkiye is their own doing. Greece’s passive stance vis-à-vis Türkiye’s threats in the Aegean can be seen as a weakness by France and other traditional allies of Greece. This is an important wake-up call for Greece’s foreign policy. If they continue ‘snoozing’ the alarm clock, it’s only a matter of time before Greece loses its last shreds of international credibility.
METEOR missiles: Why they matter
METEOR is a next generation air-to-air missile developed by MBDA, Europe’s leading missile company. Positioning itself as a uniquely integrated European company, it has become over the last few decades indispensable to European solidarity and readiness to combat foreign adversaries. METEOR missiles are already affixed by Greece to their Rafale fighter jets. If Türkiye manages to acquire its own METEOR missiles, we will see a further escalation between Greece and Türkiye, countries that historically do not see eye to eye tout court. Flashpoints, such as the territorial disputes in the Aegean sea and the continuous illegal occupation of northern Cyprus by Türkiye, abound. Can the strong Greek-French ties persuade France and its partners, such as Germany and the UK, to reconsider their choices?
Et tu, France?
Greece and France enjoy a storied and tested alliance. Their most recent defence agreement, of 2021, includes a mutual defence clause. France also agreed to supply Greece with much needed state-of-the-art frigates and corvettes, significantly advancing Greece’s military capabilities. Türkiye, naturally, protested this deal, citing concerns about international law violations. Their claims, however, had no basis, and instead appear to be rooted in Turkish insecurity about losing military and technological supremacy over the Aegean. Despite the mutual agreement between Greece and France, it seems that the latter is taking advantage of the passive stance of Greece in its foreign policy, while exploiting the neo-Ottoman aspirations of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
His most recent Sultan tribute act, the invasion of Syria and support of former Al-Qaeda jihadist terrorist and new Syrian leader Abu-Mohammad al-Julani, proves that Erdoğan labours under expansionist delusions. France, of course, is aware of the situation unfolding in Syria, as well as Türkiye’s close cooperation with Azerbaijan and Somalia, deployment of troops in Iraq and heightened aggression against Greece and Cyprus. What France really needs to question is Türkiye’s integrity as a nation. It might be a NATO member and EU neighbour, but it is definitely not reliable. Erdoğan today might pose as a potential ally and describe Türkiye as a modern European nation, but tomorrow he will frame himself as the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, denouncing NATO and the West. The bottom line is that any French agreement with Türkiye may not only be built on false pretences, but it may also jeopardise its relationship with Greece. Nevertheless, this METEOR missile deal is also a reflection of Greece’s frail international standing that keeps going downhill since Kyriakos Mitsotakis came to power.
Greek Foreign Policy: A Modern Tragicomedy
Greco-Turkish relations have weakened of late, their relationship coming to resemble an ancient Greek tragicomedy: on the one hand Greece appeases, signing various agreements, hoping to elevate its position in the eyes of the West as a capable diplomatic operator. Conversely, Türkiye sees these acts as weakness and continues its aggressive stance in the Aegean by fully embracing the role of the Mediterranean bully. Take for example the comments of Devlet Bahceli, the anti-Greek political ally of Erdoğan. In a recent and impressively delusional rant, Bahceli questioned the status of Dodecanese in the Aegean sea and claimed that the islands cannot exist without Türkiye. The so-called Blue Homeland plan of Erdoğan is focusing on the false claim that the Greek islands belong to Türkiye. It is the latest ahistorical blueprint that Erdoğan has tried out.
Greece’s response to all these provocations? Passivity and an absent foreign policy. Because of this, it should come as no surprise that France and other European partners of Greece see Türkiye as a more lucrative business partner. The inferiority complex that surrounds Greece because of Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government has hurt the international image of the country. While France is mistaken in its decision (having seemingly forgotten that Türkiye is not a reliable partner), Greece’s incompetent foreign policy is making matters worse. In the end, the corruption and the scandals that Kyriakos Mitsotakis faces and the humiliation on an international level by Türkiye must be enough for him to resign and call fresh elections. The latest turn of France away from Greece towards Türkiye should be more than enough for the people to understand that this situation is only reversible with a significant political change in leadership.
No image changes made.
Kommentare