Greece urged to respond as Mecca defense pact raises regional concerns
Greece is facing growing debate over the newly signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, with Greek media calling for Athens to take immediate steps to strengthen its own regional defense partnerships.
The agreement, signed in Mecca on Friday by Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has attracted international attention amid broader concerns over the future of US security commitments in the Middle East.
Greek outlet Pentapostagma published an analysis arguing that Greece should respond by immediately seeking a defense agreement with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia modeled on the Mecca pact.
The analysis highlighted Greece’s existing defense cooperation with the three countries. It noted Greece’s reported contribution to Saudi Arabia’s air defense through Patriot systems, including a role in countering drones and missiles launched by Iran. It also pointed to Greece’s military cooperation with the UAE and its close relations with Egypt.
Pact seen as a potential “insurance policy”
An analysis published by the South China Morning Post offered a broader assessment of the agreement, suggesting that the Türkiye-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defense pact could serve as an “insurance policy” against a weakening of the United States’ security role in the region.
The analysis argued that the agreement comes at a time when Washington’s ability to guarantee regional security is increasingly being questioned, amid continuing tensions involving Iran and Israel and wider instability across the Middle East.
According to analysts cited by the newspaper, the Mecca agreement could eventually develop into a third geopolitical center of gravity in the Middle East, alongside existing regional and international power structures.
The agreement’s emergence has therefore attracted attention not only because of its military dimension but also because of its potential implications for the wider regional balance of power.
For Greece, the developments are particularly significant because Athens has expanded defense and strategic cooperation with several Middle Eastern partners in recent years. Greek media discussions suggest that the new trilateral arrangement could encourage Athens to further deepen these partnerships as regional alliances continue to evolve.
