The Minister of National Defense expressed the firm will of Greece and France to further strengthen their cooperation to ensure stability and prosperity in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. Nikos Panagiotopoulos from Francewhere he was invited by his French colleague Sebastien Lecorny.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos today attended the launching of the first FDI FR1 frigate destined for the French Navy at the Naval Group shipyards in Lorient. According to him, the launch of the world’s first digital defense and intervention frigate FDI FR1, which is intended for the French Navy, combined with the acquisition of new frigates for the Greek Navy, at the same time as the arrival of the RAFALE aircraft, underlines the strong will of the two countries “to further strengthen their cooperation for stability and prosperity in the wider Eastern Mediterranean region, based on international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”. “.

It is also “a milestone towards realizing the two partners’ strategic vision of European strategic autonomy, which also contributes significantly to strengthening the transatlantic alliance. Reinforcement, which is needed today more than ever, after the Russian attack on Ukraine and revisionism in our region, which is a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles of international law.”

At the same time, Mr. Panagiotopoulos expressed great satisfaction with the progress of the simultaneous construction at the shipyards of the “Naval Group” of the second defense and intervention frigate intended for the Hellenic Navy, and welcomed the cooperation of the naval forces. Group with Greek defense industry companies, which is also provided for by the agreement on the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Greece and France.

“We are looking forward to expanding this cooperation to include more companies and more programs, and I would like to acknowledge the decisive contribution of the French Ministry of Defense in all stages of the implementation of weapons programs between our two governments,” he said.

The Minister of National Defense wished his French counterpart every success in his work and in France’s goals and aspirations, especially with regard to European defense and the security of the European Union and its member states.

Source: RES-IPE