Greek leader warns Congress against weapons sales to Turkey

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday warned a joint session of Congress in opposition to supporting the Biden administration’s proposed army gross sales to Turkey, saying such a transfer may create extra instability within the area.

“The very last thing that NATO wants, at a time when our focus is on serving to Ukraine defeat Russia’s aggression, is one other supply of instability on NATO’s southeastern flank,” Mitsotakis stated with out referring to Turkey by title.

“And I ask you to take this into consideration if you make protection procurement choices regarding the jap Mediterranean.”

The Biden administration is asking Congress to approve the sale of superior weapons and different army tools to NATO-ally Turkey. The bundle is essentially to permit Ankara to improve its fleet of F-16 fighter jets, however is being seen as laying the groundwork of a doable sale of dozens extra F-16s. 

The transfer has garnered pushback from advocacy organizations which are invested in U.S. relations within the area. 

Mitsotakis additionally stated that “overflights over Greek islands,” which Greece has accused Turkey of finishing up, “should cease instantly.” 

“I wish to be completely clear, we is not going to settle for open acts of aggression,” the Greek chief stated. Greece can be a NATO ally.

Turkey has reportedly rejected the accusations, accusing Greece of provocative strikes within the area. 

Mitsotakis reiterated his place that Greece would by no means settle for a two-state answer in Cyprus — the impartial island is split between the ruling Greek Cypriots and the Turkish-occupied area within the north — and pressed Congress to help the place of Athens.

“I ask you esteemed members of Congress to not neglect an open wound that has precipitated Hellenism never-ending ache over the previous 48 years. I’m referring to the invasion and subsequent division of Cyprus,” Mitsotakis stated. 

“This situation must be resolved in accordance with worldwide legislation and in keeping with the related choices of the United Nations Safety Council. As I instructed President Biden yesterday, no one can, no one ever will settle for a two state answer in Cyprus,” the prime minister continued, receiving a standing ovation from the Home and Senate lawmakers. 

The Greek prime minister is in Washington marking 200 years because the Greek revolution, when it gained independence from the Ottoman Empire, the precursor to modern-day Turkey. 

Mitsotakis used his speech to Congress to attract parallels between Russia’s battle in Ukraine and the threats going through Greece, whereas reinforcing the sturdy bonds between the U.S. and Greece and their shared dedication to democracy. Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova attended the speech within the Home chamber. 

Mitsotakis stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is not going to succeed” together with his invasion of Ukraine.

“He should not succeed, not just for the sake of Ukraine, but in addition with a purpose to ship a message, with a purpose to ship the message to all different authoritarian leaders that historic revisionism and open acts of aggression that violate worldwide legislation is not going to be tolerated by the worldwide group of democratic states,” he stated.