Greece concerned over possible sale of Meteor Missiles to Türkiye
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias has strongly reacted to the possibility of France selling Meteor missiles to Türkiye.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT REQUESTED
In a post on the X platform, Dendias expressed Greece’s opposition to such a move and stated that he had discussed the issue with the French Ambassador to Athens, Laurence Auer.
"After informing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, I met today with the French Ambassador to Athens, Laurence Auer, at the Ministry of Defense. During the meeting, I requested an official statement regarding reports that the consortium, which includes France, is considering selling METEOR missiles to Türkiye," Dendias said.
"INCOMPATIBLE WITH STRATEGIC RELATIONS"
Emphasizing Greece’s strong opposition, Dendias added, "I made it clear to the French Ambassador that Greece strongly opposes such a possibility. I also stressed that this does not align with the excellent strategic relations our two countries have maintained so far."
Recently, Greece procured 24 Rafale fighter jets from France. In 2021, Athens signed a strategic partnership agreement with Paris, urging France to oppose the sale of Meteor missiles to Türkiye.
Since the Meteor missile is jointly developed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, France has the authority to intervene in such a sale.
METEOR MISSILE SPECIFICATIONS
The Meteor is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) that utilizes a solid-fuel ramjet engine, allowing it to sustain thrust and reach speeds exceeding Mach 4. With a range of over 100 kilometers and advanced target-tracking capabilities, the missile is considered a highly advanced aerial weapon.
Türkiye plans to deploy Meteor missiles on the Eurofighter Typhoon jets it aims to procure from the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Ankara is also continuing the development of its own domestic alternatives to the Meteor system.
