The Greek Foreign Minister, George Gerapetritis, assured this Monday before the Hellenic Chamber that currently "there is no possibility" that the United States will lift the restrictions on the sale of F35 fighter jets to Turkey, emphasizing that any modification of the situation would depend on a new resolution from the US Congress.
During his speech in Parliament, he pointed out that, despite the concerns generated by the eventual decision of the US President, Donald Trump, to re-establish Ankara's participation in the program, "the current legal framework cannot be altered" without the corresponding legislative process in Washington.
In this regard, he stressed that the ties between Greece and the United States "are at their best" and emphasized that Athens "has the international position and diplomatic relations necessary to safeguard its national interests," according to information published by the newspaper 'Kathimerini'.
The head of Greek diplomacy also recalled that, when the New Democracy government took power in 2019, Greece "was outside both the F35 and F16 programs," while Turkey was participating in the former of these projects. "Since then, this situation has been reversed, which has guaranteed Greece acquiring 20 of these fighter jets, with the option to expand to another 20," he detailed.
He also added that the country has already incorporated 56 modernized F16 fighter jets out of a total of 83 planned. "Our national rights are not negotiable at all. We always do everything possible to defend them," he remarked, although several opposition deputies have warned of the advisability of adopting preventive measures in the face of a possible shift in US policy regarding Turkey.