France and Greece on Tuesday signed a multibillion-euro deal for Athens to buy three French warships, in an accord hailed by President Emmanuel Macron as a major boost for the EU’s defense ambitions.
The memorandum of understanding for the purchase of the Belharra frigates was inked less than two weeks after France was left reeling by Australia’s cancellation of a contract to buy French submarines as part of a new defense pact with Britain and the US.
He called Athens’ decision to buy the Belharra ships “a sign of confidence” in France’s defense industry, against competition notably from the American group Lockheed Martin, according to press reports.
“The construction by France of this state-of-the-art equipment contributes to an ambitious European defense,” said French Defense Minister Florence Parly.
‘Not Antagonistic’Mitsotakis added that the French deal would not affect talks on extending a longstanding defense cooperation agreement between Greece and Washington, despite the tensions sparked between the EU and Washington after the Australia submarines row.
