Emanuel Macron’s presence in Athens on the weekend of 24-25 April carries particular weight at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainties.
The French president’s presence in Greece will mark another major step in deepening the already close relationship, which will incorporate new areas of cooperation, while placing Greek-French cooperation at the core of discussions on the future of Europe and the European defence and security framework.
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The visit of the President of France is expected to seal the renewal of the Greek-French strategic cooperation agreement in security and defence, while paving the way for further deepening cooperation in areas such as the economy, civil protection and innovation.
The original Strategic Partnership Agreement on Defence and Security, signed in September 2021 at the Elysée Palace, was a precursor to the broader European debate on strengthening the European Union’s common defence and strategic autonomy, in complementarity with NATO.
The Prime Minister and the President of France are among the few European leaders who have consistently and timely put this issue on the European table. The two leaders underlined this need by stressing the security dimension in the European context during their recent visit to Cyprus – while highlighting the enhanced role of the Greek-French relationship as a pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
What Mitsotakis and Macron will discuss
High on the agenda of the talks is also expected to be the security of navigation, with the Straits of Hormuz at the top of the agenda. Unlike other European countries, Greece is not limited to theoretical positions: it is actively participating in the European operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, confirming its role as a global maritime power with an increased interest and sensitivity to maritime security issues.
The Prime Minister had, moreover, set the issue of maritime security as a top priority, on which he had spoken at the main event of the Greek Presidency of the UN Security Council last May.
The Prime Minister had, moreover, set the issue of maritime security as a top priority.
At the same time, the renewal of the strategic partnership agreement for a five-year period, with provision for automatic extension indefinitely, strengthens the already close framework of cooperation.
The signing of new agreements is expected to expand the bilateral agenda. From defence and foreign policy to the economy, innovation, civil protection, but also common values, the defence of international law and the principles of multilateralism in international relations and the role of the United Nations, the Greek-French relationship is entering a phase of further institutionalisation and deepening. It is acquiring the characteristics of a coherent and multi-level cooperation with duration and depth.
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Particular emphasis is also placed on the issue of the protection of minors on the Internet, with Greece and France being among the first EU countries to promote initiatives to regulate the use of social media by minors. Greece and France are at the forefront of shaping a European regulatory framework.
