Biden

Message to Allies on Defense Spending

Kyriakos Mitsotakis conveyed the message that all alliance countries must do more for common defense, even if it means additional defense spending. He made these remarks while speaking on CNN to journalist Julia Chatterley at 1:30 AM on Saturday (Greek time).

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made statements in the early hours of Friday (July 12, 2024) following the NATO Summit, addressing among other things North Macedonia, Cyprus, and aid to Ukraine.

Regarding North Macedonia’s disregard for the Prespa Agreement, Athens’ response:

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday it is not possible for NATO to continue its partnership with the Israeli administration.

"Until comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Turkey," Erdogan said at a news conference at the NATO summit.

The recent presidential debate in the United States caused tremors within the Democratic Party. President Biden's apparent weaknesses and image against his archrival Donald Trump sparked concerns about the president's fitness, as well as talk of a possible succession.

Former Defense Minister of Bulgaria, Professor Todor Tagarev, expressed skepticism regarding Ukraine's immediate NATO membership prospects, attributing this to the differing positions of certain member countries, as reported by the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) amidst the NATO summit in Washington.

NATO’s 75th Anniversary Summit

NATO will celebrate its 75th anniversary this week with a summit in Washington at a critical geopolitical moment. The ongoing war in Ukraine is not progressing as planned, the Middle East is in turmoil, and the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House seems increasingly plausible following Biden’s poor performance in the CNN debate.

The meeting was as warm and spontaneous as never before in my journalistic adventure. Here’s exactly what happened last Thursday on Xenokratous sidewalk outside a well-known café. I saw him exit the embassy’s massive car and at first contact, he hugged me, spoke to me in the familiar manner as if we had known each other for years. “Dimitri, I’m glad to see you” (in Greek)

NATO is set to introduce a new initiative aimed at enhancing military aid to Ukraine during its upcoming summit in Washington from July 9-11, as reported by The New York Times. The move comes amidst hopes from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Central European nations for NATO membership discussions, which will not be offered at this time.

The Greek Foreign Minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, described the Cyprus issue as the “pinnacle” of Greece’s foreign policy, speaking in the news bulletin of ANT1 Cyprus.

The Biden administration is planning to suspend all current orders for Patriot air defense systems and missiles, redirecting these supplies to Ukraine until its defense requirements are fully met, as reported by the Financial Times. This significant decision could be formally announced today.