Despite objections from Athens – and Nicosia – Turkey’s participation in new European defense programs is expected to move forward, as final decisions will be made by qualified majority voting within the European Union rather than by unanimity.
On Tuesday, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias voiced opposition to the development, implicitly referring to Turkey. “[We] cannot defend Europe if the enemy is within its walls,” he said ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
Turkey’s inclusion in EU defense initiatives does not come as a surprise. In recent months, the message has been conveyed to Athens at multiple levels – from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, down to working-level contacts – that the EU intends to cooperate with Turkey on defense matters, given the urgency of strengthening Europe’s capabilities.
For nearly all EU member states apart from Greece and Cyprus, excluding a NATO member with the alliance’s second-largest military makes little sense – particularly at a time when the bloc is seeking greater influence in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Athens also encountered resistance in Brussels, prompting the Greek government to mobilize its ambassadors across EU capitals. Diplomats were instructed to convey Greece’s concerns to foreign and defense ministries in partner countries and to stress the need for decisions to be made unanimously rather than by qualified majority.
Greece has cited Article 212 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which governs bilateral and future agreements between the EU and candidate countries – including Turkey.
In practice, however, Athens has limited room to manoeuvre. The selection of proposals involving third countries will be decided by qualified majority, leaving Greece and Cyprus with only fragile and shifting alliances on the matter within the EU.
The final text of the agreement is expected to be released later on Wednesday, though negotiations may continue for several more days ahead of the General Affairs Council on May 27, when formal adoption is anticipated. Despite the challenges, diplomatic sources say the talks remain delicate, as negotiators work to bridge significant differences.