Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias met Cypriot Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas in Athens after the US State Department backed their regional military collaboration.
Officials at the Ministry of National Defence in Athens expressed strong satisfaction with the American statement, which highlighted defense and security cooperation between Greece and Israel. The US statement also addressed the development of Achilles Shield, a new anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile system designed by Greek military staff for completion by July 2029.
The US State Department noted that alliance building between Athens and Tel Aviv serves the shared defence and security interests of the wider region. American diplomatic officials issued the statement at a time when Turkish representatives have repeatedly voiced irritation over the growing military partnership between Greece and Israel.
Nikos Dendias hosted his Cypriot counterpart for closed doors talks at the Greek defence ministry alongside senior military staff. Cyprus recently acquired a comparable Israeli anti-aircraft system, which military analysts note could lay the groundwork for a unified air defence network across the southeastern Mediterranean.
Air Defence and Regional Security
Dendias, who previously served as Greece's foreign minister, has overseen efforts to modernize the nation's air defence infrastructure and expand strategic partnerships. Cyprus, an EU member state in the eastern Mediterranean, maintains close defence ties with Athens on regional maritime security.
Discussions between the two defence leaders focused heavily on regional security challenges created by conflict in the Middle East and the ongoing war in the Gulf between the United States and Iran. Both sides also examined a joint approach under the European Union Safe initiative, alongside future defence industrial cooperation.
Anti-ballistic missile defense systems use specialized radar tracking and interceptor missiles to defend sovereign airspace against incoming aerial threats. The Achilles Shield program represents a major effort by Greek military planners to establish comprehensive air coverage in the coming years.
Medusa Military Exercise
The bilateral talks coincided with the launch of Exercise Medusa, a major joint military drill starting today. The maneuvers are taking place within maritime waters defined under an illegal memorandum.
Military forces from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Italy and France are participating in the Medusa exercise. The annual drills bring together naval and air forces from southern European and North African partners to practice joint operations, maritime security, and tactical coordination in the Mediterranean.
Greek defence officials plan to move forward with the development of the Achilles Shield system, with full deployment targeted for July 2029.
