Greece should reconsider its approach to Turkey’s participation in the European defence architecture and support a process that could eventually bring Ankara within the EU’s defence framework, according to P. K. Ioakeimidis.
Writing in Greek newspaper Ta Nea, Ioakeimidis argues that Turkey’s aggression towards Greece can ultimately be contained through two peaceful approaches: temporary intervention by the United States or a more permanent, structural solution through the European Union.
Ioakeimidis, emeritus professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) and a former ambassador and adviser to Greece’s Foreign Ministry, argues that the second option offers the more sustainable strategy.
Rethinking Turkey’s role in European defence
According to Ioakeimidis, Turkey should ultimately operate within the EU’s rules, including those governing European common defence.
He therefore calls on Greece to abandon what he describes as its inflexible position on Turkey’s participation in the European defence architecture, including the EU’s SAFE defence fund.
Instead, he proposes opening a process for Turkey’s integration into the European defence framework, with the necessary conditions and safeguards established for the post-accession period.
Ioakeimidis argues that such a strategy could help neutralise Turkish aggression on a structural basis while allowing Greece to maintain its own deterrence capabilities.
Questions over the “Achilles Shield”
The former diplomat also raises concerns about Greece’s approach to European defence, citing the “Achilles Shield” as an example.
While he acknowledges that the system could strengthen the defence of the Greek islands and the Aegean, he questions whether its implementation fully aligns with the broader objectives of European defence.
Ioakeimidis points to the reported €3.5 billion investment in the programme and argues that Greece risks directing major defence spending outside Europe and away from European defence industries, particularly towards Israel.
He also questions the compatibility of such investments with the EU’s emphasis on European values, the rule of law and respect for international law.
The article points to the international legal and political controversy surrounding Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including the arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court.
Ioakeimidis argues that Greece should therefore assess its defence relationship with Israel in light of these developments.
Greece and European strategic autonomy
Ioakeimidis also warns that Greece could increase its dependence on Israel at a time when the EU is seeking greater strategic autonomy.
He notes that the bloc wants to reduce its dependence on major US technology companies, while European defence still lacks a unified strategy for the development of weapons systems.
In his view, the SAFE fund does not yet rest on a common EU strategy that establishes shared defence priorities. Greece’s investments in the “Achilles Shield” outside Europe could therefore further complicate efforts to build a stronger European defence industry.
Calls for stronger EU foreign policy
The article also highlights what Ioakeimidis sees as another weakness in Europe’s defence strategy: the lack of an effective common foreign policy.
France, Germany and 11 other EU member states have proposed changes to the bloc’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and its External Action Service, with the aim of strengthening the EU’s foreign policy role.
Greece, Ioakeimidis notes, is not among the countries backing those proposals.
A structural response to Turkey
Ioakeimidis concludes that European defence, combined with the integration of Turkey into the EU’s defence framework and Greece’s own deterrence capabilities, could provide a long-term strategy for addressing Turkish aggression.
Rather than relying solely on temporary US intervention, he argues that Greece should pursue a European approach capable of changing the underlying strategic relationship between Greece, Turkey and the EU.
