Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged Europe to wake up and build its own defense policy following a dramatic shift in the United States' stance on Ukraine and recent geopolitical developments. Mitsotakis made his comments late on Wednesday during a business conference in Thessaloniki, reflecting on a series of recent shifts in U.S. policy.
This week, U.S. President Donald Trump upended the country’s policy on the Ukraine war by denouncing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “dictator” and suggesting Kyiv had instigated the three-year conflict with Russia. Trump also warned that Zelenskyy needed to act quickly to secure peace, or risk losing his country, a statement that has heightened tensions with European officials.
Adding to the complexity, the U.S. and Russia held peace talks in Saudi Arabia this week without Ukraine, which left Kyiv and its European allies stunned. Ukraine has made it clear that it will not accept a deal imposed on it without its consent, a sentiment shared by European leaders, while Russia has ruled out conceding land it has gained.
Mitsotakis emphasized that Europe needs to "wake up from the geopolitical and economic lethargy into which it has unfortunately fallen for some time." He said, “Recent developments and this different view of things from the United States now oblige us not only to face the truth, but to move at a very high speed and implement decisions that we have been discussing for long.”
The Greek leader pointed to the necessity for Europe to establish its own defense policy, allowing the continent to develop its own deterrent power and reduce its reliance on the United States.
His comments came shortly after he participated in a virtual meeting convened by France with European leaders and Canada to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
For years, Europe has relied heavily on U.S. power within NATO for security, but Trump has consistently demanded that Europe increase its defense spending. The former U.S. president has now called on Europe to contribute more military strength to any future Ukraine peace deal. However, experts warn that Europe would be stretched to meet such demands without U.S. assistance.