The Greek Minister for National Defence, Nikos Dendias, gave an informative briefing to prominent representatives of the local Greek-Australian community in Sydney on 16 July 2026, on a range of issues concerning international relations, defence and regional security.
Presented as a fireside chat under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Canberra and Business Sydney, the event was more than a briefing on defence policy as Minister Dendias provided an insight into the world of diplomacy and statecraft from a Greek perspective and the problems confronting democracies, ranging from the war in Europe, strategic rivalries, vulnerable sea lanes and the enduring question of how free societies can defend both their interests and their values
The chat also featured the Hon Stephen Loosley AM, Alumni Ambassador at the University of Technology and a former Australian Government Minister.
Distinguished guests included His Excellency Stavros Venizelos, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic; His Excellency Antonis Sammoutis, Cyprus High Commissioner; George Skemperis, Consul General of Greece in Sydney; His Grace Bishop Athinagoras of Canberra, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia; Belgin Ergünes, Turkish Consul General; the Hon John Hatzistergos AM, NSW ICAC Chief Commissioner; George Diamataris, Secretary of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW and John Loukadellis, President of the Greek Orthodox Community & Church of Canberra and a director of The Hellenic Initiative of Australia.
Mr Loosely began with a broad observation that resonated with the room: Australia and Greece share many historical parallels, and for more than a century events in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East have had serious consequences for Australia.
From 1915 to the present day, both the First and Second World Wars brought major consequences from that region, challenges that Australia, together with Greece, has had to confront.
NATO’s renewed relevance
For decades, many questioned the relevance of the North Atlantic Treary Organisation (NATO) in a post-Cold War world. However, as Minister Dendias poignantly noted, “NATO is Relevant -with a capital letter”.
The brutal reality of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shattered the illusion that large-scale conflict in Europe is a relic of the past. The world has watched Russia pivot to a mobilised war economy, a move that fundamentally alters the strategic calculus for every democracy in the West.
Minister Dendias offered a unique vantage point as the last Western diplomat to visit Moscow, just 48 hours before the invasion. As Greece’s foreign minister at the time, he had gone to Moscow because Greece was concerned at reports that Russia was planning a military operation on the port city of Mariupol where there was a large and vibrant Greek community. He was assured by his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, that Russia had no intention of invading Ukraine. Yet, as Dendias explained, the warning signs were already visible in the form of strategic movements of Russian troops, medical units and forward logistics but which were sadly ignored.
Minister Dendias recalled that Lavrov in fact told him that not only that Russia will not invade Ukraine, but that it would be stupid to do so. As the Greek Defence Minister told his Sydney audience: “I couldn’t agree with him more even today.”
The lesson was stark: democracies had allowed themselves to believe that war in Europe was no longer imaginable and that nobody would be foolish enough to bring humanity back to where it had been in the 20th century.
That complacency is no longer tenable. Russia’s shift into a war economy has exposed the gap between Europe’s assumptions and the demands of modern conflict.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has ended any lingering illusion that large-scale war in Europe belongs to the past. NATO, Minister Dendias argued, remains indispensable, not merely as a military alliance, but as a guarantor of freedom, democracy, prosperity and the rule of law.
Differing Perceptions Deepen Russia-West Divide
According to Minister Dendias, Europeans perceive Russia as preparing further moves against the Baltic states such as Finland, Sweden, and Poland if it succeeds in Ukraine.
In contrast, Russian diplomats claim that NATO plans to invade Russia. Dendias rejected the Russian view as nonsense. Moreover, according to the Greek Defence Minister, Moscow cannot dictate the sovereign choices of European nations regarding EU or NATO membership. Democracies must defend the right of societies to determine their own future.
The debate over the European defence architecture is often shaped by historical memory, particularly in regard to Germany, where the tension between historical perception and the modern state continues to influence rearmament debates. A significant generational shift is nonetheless occurring: younger Europeans, further removed from the shadows of the twentieth century, perceive the necessity of rearmament through the lens of modern security requirements rather than as historical baggage.
Military conscription in Greece
For Greece, this is not just an academic exercise. As a nation that has historically relied on conscription as a sacred civic duty, Minister Dendias declared that Greeks are being called to evolve and the nation cannot rely solely on weight of numbers. It needs to focus on industrial readiness, technological capability and social resilience and foster a culture that the defence of the homeland is not an occasional duty but a continuing civic obligation.
The Eastern Mediterranean and relations with Türkiye
Greece’s geography is both an advantage and a burden. Sitting at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean could become a powerful corridor for energy, trade and connectivity through electricity interconnectors, pipelines and maritime routes. Yet that promise depends on security, cooperation and respect for international law.
According to Minister Dendias, this geographic reality offers Greece a double-edged sword of immense opportunity and significant risk. On one hand, the Eastern Mediterranean has the potential to become a global energy hub. On the other hand, there are unresolved security issues and the constant need to protect the freedom of navigation that is the lifeblood of a maritime nation.
Referring to the Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz, The Greek Defence Minister warned that if a state can interrupt one of the world’s critical maritime arteries, prosperity everywhere is exposed., declaring that freedom of navigation is essential for humanity.
Turkish ‘Blue Homeland’ Irredentism
During the media conference held the following day at the Greek Consulate in Sydney, the Greek Defence Minister was asked about the controversial “Blue Homeland” doctrine espoused from time to time by Turkish authorities. The doctrine asserts expansive Turkish claims across the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean and the Black Sea, asserting that Turkey’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zones should extend far beyond their current limits and directly challenging Greek and Cypriot maritime claims in the Aegean.
Minister Dendias described the “Blue Homeland” doctrine as an ideological construct that has evolved from a marginal and legally unfounded idea into a central element of Turkish foreign policy. He argued that its core claim – that Greek islands lack their own continental shelf or maritime zones, or possess them only in diminished form – is contrary to international law and creates a further obstacle to good-neighbourly relations. In his view, legislating such a doctrine would make the normalisation of Greek-Turkish relations more difficult, when the real objective should be to reach a viable arrangement on the continental shelf and maritime zones in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
F-35s – deal or no deal?
When also asked about Greece’s reaction to the possible sale by the US to Türkiye of the advanced F-35 fighter jet, Minister Dendias stressed that Washington should consider whether such a move would serve stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. He suggested that any transfer of advanced weapons to Turkey should include a clear condition that they not be used against Western allies, noting that Greece would accept such a condition for itself. More broadly, he warned the United States to think carefully about Turkey’s long-term strategic outlook, arguing that if Ankara’s vision for the region diverges sharply from Washington’s, empowering it with F-35s may be “unwise”.
Cyprus
Central to this stability and the full normalisation of Greek–Turkish relations is the fate of Cyprus. As the Minister declared:
“Cyprus is the major focus point in order to have a good relation between Turkey and Greece.”
Minister Dendias expressed cautious optimism that the Cyprus issue may be entering a slightly more constructive phase, helped by the election of a new and more moderate Turkish-Cypriot leader, Tufan Erhürmant, as well as the approach of Greek-Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish President Erdoğan’s stated involvement.
While he stressed that expectations should remain modest given the long and difficult history of the dispute, he said the fact that meaningful discussion may now be possible again is itself an achievement after years of deadlock since Crans-Montana (a reference to the failed 2017 Cyprus reunification talks).
Greece’s relations with the United States and President Trump
When it came to discussion about President Trump and the Greek-American relationship, Stephen Loosely invoked Henry Kissinger’s warning – that to be an enemy of the United States was dangerous, but to be its friend could also be perilous – as a reminder that friendship with a superpower must be matched by allied strength, burden-sharing and strategic self-confidence.
Minister Dendias expressed concern about possible reduced US engagement. As he reminded the audience, the United States returned to Europe during both World Wars. “Let’s not try for a third,” he warned.
Mr Dendias also pointed out that in his capacity as Greek Foreign Minister, he worked with the first Trump administration. As now defense minister, he is working with the second. He also worked with the Biden administration. Greece, as a close US ally, works across administrations and focuses on actions rather than rhetoric.
He advocates open dialogue and strict adherence to post-World War II treaties. Change of borders remains extremely dangerous.
China Requires Balanced Approach
It was noted by both speakers that China simultaneously serves as a business partner, a competitor, and a security challenge. Greece tries to address all three dimensions carefully. Indeed, Mr Dendias raised concerns about heavily subsidised Chinese exports and unacceptable espionage activities, noting that democracies cannot pretend away the importance of trade, but neither can they ignore coercive economic practices, espionage or challenges to sovereignty. It was also noted that Australia had successfully diversified trade after facing trade sanctions from China, demonstrating resilience and at the same time demonstrating the kind of economic and strategic flexibility that Greece must emulate as it navigates the complexities of global competition.
Minister Dendias also warned of falling into the “Thucydides trap” (a reference to the increased risk of conflict when a rising power challenges an established one, although such conflict is not unavoidable) and stressed the need to keep lines of communication open to avoid cycles of misperception.
Mr Dendias concluded by reaffirming that Greece cannot afford to be passive observers of history. By standing by international norms, rejecting unilateral border changes, and treating the democratic choices of sovereign states as sacrosanct, Greece is not just defending its borders; it is defending the very idea of global stability.
In the words of Minister Dendias:
“The path forward requires inclusive dialogue and full discussion. As Greeks, we have always known that our strength lies in our ability to engage with the world without losing our soul. In this new geopolitics of security, our anchor remains our commitment to the law, our allies, and our unwavering national resolve.”
In an age of renewed strategic competition and increasingly volatile developments, defending the rules-based international order requires more than mere rhetoric and empty gestures. It demands preparedness, unity and the necessary political will to protect a nation’s genuine interests.
In Nikos Dendias, Greece has a noble servant in that cause.
George Vardas is the Arts and Culture Editor