Speaking via videoconference at the IISS Manama Dialogue 2026 in Bahrain, during a discussion with International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Director-General Bastian Giegerich, Mitsotakis also warned against using connectivity projects for geopolitical purposes and urged European countries to strengthen their presence in the Gulf.
Responding to a question about the Libyan House of Representatives’ recent ratification of the maritime memorandum with Turkey, Mitsotakis argued that countries can only delimit maritime zones when they have adjacent or opposite coastlines.
“Therefore, if you simply draw a diagonal line between Turkey and Libya, you completely ignore the Greek islands,” he said, stressing that these islands are entitled under international law to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.
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The Greek prime minister insisted that international law, rather than political relationships between countries, must guide maritime boundary agreements.
“You do not delimit maritime boundaries only with friends or countries with which you share, let us say, a common position. You delimit according to international law,” he said.
He compared the Turkey-Libya memorandum to a hypothetical agreement between Greece and Tunisia that ignored Libya or Italy.
“This is an absurd agreement,” Mitsotakis said, adding that international law must provide the guiding principles for resolving outstanding maritime boundary issues.
He pointed to Greece’s maritime delimitation agreement with Egypt as an example of how countries can reach mutually acceptable solutions by applying international law.
“This is the only way to resolve these issues in the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said.
Connectivity Projects and Geopolitical Tensions
Mitsotakis also stressed that connectivity projects must not become hostages to disputes over maritime areas that countries have yet to delimit.
“These projects are extremely important for our region of the world to be instrumentalised by countries for geopolitical purposes. This is something Greece will not accept,” he said.
Freedom of Navigation and Maritime Security
Addressing maritime security, Mitsotakis reiterated the position he presented while chairing a United Nations Security Council discussion on freedom of navigation, describing it as a “global public good”.
He warned that disruptions to maritime trade directly affect energy security, increase prices and fuel inflation.
“Freedom of navigation must be respected, international law must be observed, and commercial shipping must not become hostage to geopolitical rivalries,” he said.
The prime minister also highlighted emerging threats from state and non-state actors, who can now use relatively inexpensive technologies to disrupt maritime transport.
He called for greater cooperation between countries that share common positions, including the use of artificial intelligence and intelligence-sharing to protect shipping routes and undersea cables.
Mitsotakis referred to security challenges in the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea. He also mentioned the sinking of a Greek-owned vessel two days earlier, saying authorities did not yet know who had struck it.
He warned that the volume of Ukrainian grain remaining in storage facilities raised concerns not only for Ukraine but also for countries that depend on Ukrainian grain supplies.
Mitsotakis Calls for Greater European Participation in Operation ASPIDES
Turning to the EU-led Operation ASPIDES, which aims to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, Mitsotakis called for a larger group of European countries to contribute naval assets.
Greece and Italy each contribute one vessel to the operation, while France maintains military assets in the wider region.
“I do not expect all 27 member states to participate in such a mission. But there is a difference between having two countries and having ten,” he said.
He argued that broader European participation would send a clear message about the importance Europe attaches to its relationship with Gulf countries and demonstrate its willingness to support regional partners.
Greece Positions Itself as a Bridge Between Europe and the Gulf
Mitsotakis described Greece as a strategic link between Europe and the Gulf, highlighting its geographical position, maritime expertise and growing connectivity infrastructure.
He referred to the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), describing Greece as a potential entry and exit point for energy, data connectivity and trade between India, the Gulf and Europe.
He also highlighted Greece’s role as an entry point for liquefied natural gas (LNG), supplying not only domestic demand but also neighbouring countries in the Balkans and Central Europe, including Ukraine.
Among the major connectivity projects, he mentioned the EMC data cable linking Greece, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia, the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), which aims to connect Greece, Cyprus and Israel, and discussions on a major electricity interconnection between Greece and Egypt.
He added that Greece could serve as an entry point into the European electricity network for renewable energy exports from Gulf countries.
Economic Recovery and Gulf Investment
Discussing Greece’s economic performance, Mitsotakis attributed the country’s recovery to fiscal discipline, debt reduction and the attraction of foreign investment.
He said the Greek economy was growing at twice the European Union average and noted that Greece was borrowing at lower interest rates than four of the seven G7 economies.
The United Arab Emirates has already invested almost five billion euros in Greece, he said, adding that Athens wants to expand investment and commercial cooperation with other Gulf countries.
He identified infrastructure, energy, agri-food, healthcare and technology as sectors offering opportunities for further investment.
Mitsotakis also highlighted opportunities for Greek companies to expand their presence in Gulf markets.
Defence Cooperation and New Technologies
The prime minister identified defence cooperation as another important area for closer relations between Greece and Gulf countries, particularly in unmanned systems and emerging technologies.
He said Greece was implementing the largest defence spending programme in its history and currently allocated 3.5% of its gross domestic product to defence.
Mitsotakis also announced that Greece had received the second of four advanced frigates built in France, with the Greek flag raised aboard the vessel that day.
However, he stressed that future defence cooperation should extend beyond traditional military platforms to include unmanned systems, decentralised technologies and innovative defence companies.
He said Greece could also provide Gulf partners with access to the wider European defence market, as other EU countries increase military spending and seek reliable partners to develop new technologies.
(Source: AMNA)