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Greece does not at all agree with the decision of the United States, which is on the verge of an agreement with Turkey for the sale of F-35 fighter jets.
According to Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, the US should ask itself whether this agreement with Erdogan is in its interest.
“Let me be honest. Greece is not happy that Turkey is getting the F-35, Greece is not happy that Turkey is getting engines for a new generation aircraft. And our general approach to this is that we should not judge what the United States of America is doing and who it is selling to. That is the business of the American government. We are just asking one question: Is it in the true interest of the United States, yes or no?
"It is certain that for the US government, NATO and especially stability in the Eastern Mediterranean is essential. So, giving a platform to a country in the Eastern Mediterranean without the condition that this cannot be used against another allied member, is it in the US interest or not?" Dendias said at a conference of 'The Economist' in Athens.
On the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, US President Donald Trump had suggested that he could lift sanctions imposed on Turkey to facilitate the sale of the aircraft.
Turkey's interest in buying the F-35 faces legal hurdles as a result of Ankara's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile system. Congress passed a law that bars any F-35 sales to Turkey as long as Ankara keeps the S-400, saying the Russian system poses a security risk to U.S.-made fighter jets.
Speaking to reporters at the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis avoided direct comment on Trump's statements, but stressed that NATO's unity depends on respecting international law and considering the interests of all members.
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan chose an unusual gift for NATO leaders at the end of the summit in Ankara, a revolver personalized with each of their names.
The revolver has a double-action mechanism and is constructed of forged steel.
However, the gift created legal confusion for some. The British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said he was forced to deactivate the weapon and leave it in Ankara because strict British laws forbade it from being brought on government aircraft. The gesture is a stark departure from the tradition of past summits, where gifts have been more conventional, such as honey vodka and chocolate in Poland (2016), or whisky, waffles and wool socks in Wales (2014).
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