Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is taking part in an international summit on space in Paris today and Thursday, September 10, following an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron and under the joint presidency of France and Germany.
Mitsotakis will meet Macron and attend a dinner hosted by the French president at the Élysée Palace for the heads of state and government attending the summit.
French authorities expect around 2,000 participants from 120 countries at the event, which takes place at the Grand Palais and brings together political leaders, business representatives, scientists and technology experts.
Space Emerges as Strategic Area of Global Competition
The summit focuses on space governance as geopolitical tensions increasingly turn space into an area of competition between governments and businesses.
French diplomatic sources have stressed that space no longer concerns only satellites, launches and scientific research. It has become a strategic sector linked to defence, telecommunications, access to data, climate policy and, ultimately, technological sovereignty.
The programme at the Grand Palais centres on three main themes, which participants will explore through presentations and round-table discussions:
- Addressing challenges facing the global space economy through international cooperation.
- Advancing space science, technology and exploration from an international perspective as an asset for humanity’s future.
- Strengthening space security through dialogue, defence and partnerships.
French diplomats say discussions on these issues should address the future development of space activities while combining national, European and sector-specific perspectives.
An official session on Thursday morning, September 10, will focus on speeches by participating heads of state and government.
Summit Highlights Europe’s Role as Space Power
The summit also places strong emphasis on Europe’s role in space.
“The Summit will provide an opportunity to highlight Europe’s role as a space power, promoting the use of space for the benefit of all and international cooperation based on common rules,” the French diplomatic service said.
On the sidelines of the summit, EU member states, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and Ukraine will hold a meeting at Les Invalides focusing on defence issues.
Macron will also host the participating heads of state and government for a dinner at the Élysée Palace on Thursday evening.
Russia, Iran and North Korea have not received invitations.
Media reports in recent days have also indicated that the United States will have a lower-profile presence, with reports that business figures including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos cancelled their participation following intervention by US President Donald Trump.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will also miss the summit because of prior commitments in the German parliament, the German Chancellery announced on Friday.
