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Greece will continue supporting Ukraine but will not transfer weapons if doing so would undermine its own defense capabilities, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on October 16.
Speaking at a press conference following the European Council meeting in Brussels, Mitsotakis was asked whether Athens had received a request from Kyiv to supply PAC interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems.
The Greek prime minister declined to confirm or deny whether such a request had been made, noting that Greece had already provided Ukraine with significant air defense capabilities from its own stockpiles.
“We will do everything possible to support Ukraine without undermining Greece’s defense capabilities,” Mitsotakis said, adding that Greece also faces security challenges in a sensitive region and has other defense commitments.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged European partners to use every available opportunity to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses, emphasizing the urgent need for ballistic missile interceptors as Russia intensifies attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine was securing Patriot missiles in small batches from different countries, taking every available opportunity to replenish its supplies and protect civilians.
Greece and Spain have previously been reported to be unwilling to provide Ukraine with Patriot missiles nearing the end of their service life.
