Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced that Greece will not supply Ukraine with Russian-made anti-aircraft missile systems until its stocks are replenished with equivalent Western systems.
In an interview with Politico, in response to whether Greece had been asked to send TOR-M1, Osa-AKM, and S-300 missile systems to bolster Ukrainian defenses, Dendias stated, “There is no discussion about withdrawing these systems from the Greek national air defense system they are integrated into, without replacing them with Western systems and weapons that have similar or superior combat capabilities.”
Dendias reiterated that “as with all weapon systems, legal obligations arise concerning their sale or transfer during the acquisition process,” emphasizing that Greece’s national interests remain a priority.
When questioned about the possibility of Greece sending military forces to fight in Ukraine if Western countries supported French President Macron’s proposals on the matter, Dendias clarified, “This issue does not exist for Greece,” echoing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s previous statements.
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis also categorically denied reports about Athens’s intention to give up its Russian-made S-300 air defense missiles and hand them over to Kyiv.
This comes after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested transferring or selling weapons to Ukraine, in exchange for considering up to $200 million in additional aid for Athens.
Greece was among the first Western countries to send weapons and military equipment to Ukraine following the onset of Russia’s special military operation, including the dispatch of 40 tons of equipment via Poland on C-130 aircraft.
Greece has stated it will not transfer Leopard 2A6 tanks and Russian-made S-300 systems to Kyiv, in addition to weapon systems whose provision could weaken Greece’s defensive capability.
Russia has repeatedly stated that arms supplies to Ukraine conflict with the requirements for a settlement and make NATO countries directly involved in the conflict, warning them that they are “playing with fire.”
