Greece-France to agree on 5bn euro military procurement deal, mutual defence pact

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis talks in Paris today and tomorrow with French President Emmanul Macron are of exceptional significance politically, geostrategically, diplomatically, and militarily at a time that Greece continues to face a military threat from Turkey

An important agreement has been reached on a political and diplomatic alliance – the details of which have not yet been made public – between Greece and France, along with Athens’ decision to buy French frigates and corvettes to bolster the Greek Navy, as well as six more French Rafale fighter jets

Diplomatic sources have revealed that Mitsotakis and Macron will sign a mutual defence pact and that at a at a dinner this evening they will seal a political agreement for Greece’s purchase of three French Belharra frigates, with an option for one more, as well as of three Gowind corvettes.

The details of the deal, which is valued at over five billion euros, will be finalised tomorrow in Paris, where Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will be present.

The three frigates will reportedly be constructed at the French Naval Group shipyard in Lorient and three will be constructed at a Greek shipyard, most likely Skaramangas.

The French proposal, which had been submitted to Athens last spring, provided for the construction of four new Belharras and the use without pay of two French Navy warships, which however did not meet the needs of the fleet.

The new French proposal entailed Greece’s procurement of three Belharra – the first is already under construction in Lorient – and three more Gowind corvettes, which have a smaller displacement but which, as the Greek Navy has indicated, cover the daily operational needs of the Hellenic Navy fleet in the Aegean.

Greek government sources say that the acquisition of the Belharras impressively upgrades Greece’s deterrent forces, while a high level General Staff source spoke of “tectonic shifts” in the Aegean and the broader region of the Eastern Mediterranean which will also shift the Greece-Turkey military balance.

Government spokesman Lefteris Economou when asked if after the Mitsotakis-Macron talks there will be an announcement about the procurement of six additional Rafales – which will give the Greek Airforce a total of 24 of them – about the Berlharras, and about the Greece-France mutual defence pact said only, “Have some patience.”