Nikos Panagiotopoulos

Greece will get delivery of the first F-35 stealth multirole aircraft by 2028, "if everything proceeds according to plan," former Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told TV station Skai Friday.

Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos toured Armed Forces units on Limnos island on Monday and met with local and religious leaders as well.

Specifically, on the North Aegean island the minister paid a visit to the 130 Combat Group and met with readiness personnel at the base of fighter jets and helicopters.

Significant efforts are under way to ensure that the period of flux between the two expected rounds of voting in Greece's general elections brings no unpleasant surprises with regard to the easing of tension in Greek-Turkish relations, but also to prepare for any likely upsets from the elections in Turkey.

Turkey's defense minister has described his recent talks with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, as very constructive and honest and said all issues were discussed in an open manner.

In an interview with the Milliyet daily, Hulusi Akar added that he hoped both sides will take measures to resolve these issues.

Reflecting the changing mood in Greek-Turkish relations, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos has hailed what he referred to as an extremely positive climate.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Friday said he expects a moratorium with Greece in military and airforce exercises in the Aegean Sea between June 15 and September 15, to accommodate tourism, as relations continued to thaw following the deadly earthquakes in Turkey last February.

Greece will continue to supply Ukraine with ammunition of all kinds but has refused the invaded country's request to send any of its Soviet- and Russian-made air defense missile-systems (S-300, TOR-M1 and OSA-AK).

Greece has pledged military assistance to Ukraine for "as long as it takes" but officials cautioned that the country needs to keep much of its Russian-made weaponry for its own defensive needs.

The Greek and Turkish Defense ministers, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Hulusi Akar, conveyed a message on Tuesday on the need to keep communication channels between Athens and Turkey open, and, in the long term, to create conditions for cooperation.

NATO members Turkey and Greece can resolve their disputes through peaceful means and dialogue, Turkey's defense minister said after talks with his Greek counterpart Tuesday, in the latest sign of easing tensions between the rival neighbors.