Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged Europe to accelerate the development of its own defense policy in light of recent changes in U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at a business conference in Thessaloniki on Wednesday, Mitsotakis highlighted the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on American military support.
His comments followed statements made by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who this week labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and suggested that Kyiv had triggered the ongoing three-year war with Russia. Trump further warned that Zelenskyy must act quickly to secure peace or risk losing Ukraine entirely—a stance that has caused unease among European leaders.
Compounding the situation, the U.S. and Russia held peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia without Ukrainian representation, a move that shocked Kyiv and its European allies. Ukraine has since made it clear it will not accept any peace agreement imposed without its input, a position echoed by many European leaders.
Mitsotakis stressed the urgency of Europe’s need to build independent deterrent capabilities, saying, “Recent events and the United States’ differing perspective now force us to face reality and act swiftly on decisions we have long debated.”
The Greek leader’s remarks came after he attended a virtual meeting organized by France with European leaders and Canada to discuss the evolving situation in Ukraine.
Historically, Europe has relied heavily on U.S. military power within NATO, but Trump has long pushed European countries to increase their defense spending. He has also called on Europe to play a more significant military role in any future Ukraine peace agreement. However, experts warn that Europe may struggle to meet these demands without substantial U.S. assistance.
