JOURNALIST: Our country took a stance on the war in Ukraine from the very beginning. Did we do well to send defence equipment to the Ukrainians? The main opposition party harshly criticized the government for its decision, while there were reports that you were opposed to it.
N. DENDIAS: The position of our country was perfectly clear from the beginning. Even before the Russian invasion, we had signaled in no uncertain terms and on all sides that Greece is guided by the principle of respect for International Law and territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of all states, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
At the same time, we had emphasized that the country is aligned with its allies and partners in the international organizations in which it participates and co-decides, such as the European Union and NATO. In the context of these principles, when the European Union decided in a coordinated manner to impose sanctions on Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine, we sided with our partners, for the reason that all countries that adhere to International Law can only maintain a common and strong stance.
We also stressed that all countries that aspire to have a European perspective should align with these positions.
With regard to the issue of sending defence weapons to Ukraine, once it was decided to reinforce Ukraine, Greece, as an EU Member State, could not refrain from contributing to this effort. Fully respecting our principles and values, we are assisting a country that is fighting for its existence and independence in the face of an invasion that violates International Law, causing unimaginable suffering and destruction. This is a fundamental issue that cannot be misinterpreted. As a member of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government, I fully subscribe to its decisions.
JOURNALIST: There seems to be some movement among the Partners regarding Ukraine’s request to join the EU. What is our country’s position on this?
N. DENDIAS: Ukraine has an operational Association Agreement with the EU since 2017. In this respect, the Member States have already accepted Ukraine’s European path.
A few weeks ago, Ukraine, as well as Georgia and Moldova, applied for European Union membership.
We acknowledge the moral and political aspect of the issue at this juncture and the need to send a clear and strong political message of solidarity with Ukraine.
However, the European Union has established rules on how the accession process begins and is concluded. Therefore, it is important to be careful not to raise unrealistic expectations among the Ukrainian people and to preserve the prestige and credibility of the accession process itself.
For two decades, our country has declared the integration of the Western Balkans into the European family as a Strategic goal. Two countries, Montenegro and Serbia, have already started accession negotiations and we have repeatedly stressed that negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia need to begin immediately. There are clear accession criteria, which all candidate countries must fulfill.
JOURNALIST: You have pointed out that the relations between Greece and Russia are historical. Could they be restored at some point?
N. DENDIAS: First of all, Mr. Siadimas, let me emphasize, once again, that our relations with Russia are indeed historical, with friendly and cultural ties with the Russian people dating back centuries, ties which cannot be disputed by anyone and cannot be affected by the spread of fake news.
Greece is guided by distinct principles and values in its international relations, with respect for International Law at the sharp end. By default, this puts our country entirely in opposition to policies that contradict it. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, who even worked consciously to further strengthen our relations with Russia, I sincerely regret the level at which they are today, as well as the level of Russia’s relations with the European Union, which have reached their lowest point. But this situation is not the result of our country’s actions.
I am hopeful that our bilateral relations will be restored at some point when Russia returns to international legality. This is my hope, but also of all those who look forward to the immediate end of this unprecedented humanitarian tragedy, which does not belong in the 21st century at all.
JOURNALIST: You said you will do everything you can to ensure the protection of Diaspora Greeks. What is it that we can do?
N. DENDIAS: Allow me to recall that I visited Mariupol, as well as the village of Sartana, where Diaspora Greeks lived, almost a month before the Russian invasion. I had emphasized then that the Greek state, the Mitsotakis government, stands on the side of Diaspora Greeks. This commitment is still valid, regardless if conditions have radically changed in the meantime.
Our first concern is to provide humanitarian aid and protect civilians. For this reason, we have submitted official requests to Ukraine in order to facilitate the aid delivery to the suffering population of Mariupol, a city founded also by Greeks 250 years ago, as well as to Russia in order for them not to obstruct the channeling of this aid. I stressed that I intend to travel to Mariupol myself to ensure the unhindered access of this aid [to Mariupol].
The need to protect the Greek Diaspora is a key issue which I keep raising with my interlocutors, such as UN Secretary-General António Guterres and High Representative Josep Borrell. At the same time, I am in close coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and its President Peter Maurer.
Secondly, a reception team was set up in Romania, consisting of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who, with their dedication to duty and a spirit of self-sacrifice, have already helped evacuate Greek citizens, as well as members of the Greek Diaspora from Ukraine. And they continue these efforts under very adverse conditions.
Thirdly, when the situation on the ground allows it, we will contribute to the reconstruction of the country, with the rebuilding of the Mariupol maternity hospital being the first step to be taken, as the Prime Minister announced.
JOURNALIST: Can the recent meeting of Kyriakos Mitsotakis with Tayyip Erdogan be a new starting point for the relations between the two countries?
N. DENDIAS: The meeting of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the Turkish President Erdogan and the relatively good climate that prevailed confirm that the war in Ukraine creates a new geopolitical environment.
The new situation, with the increasing risks it poses, calls for stability, respect for International Law, peaceful settlement of disputes and avoidance of conflicts in the wider region. In this context, denouncing any kind of revisionism is of vital importance. From our side, our positions, which are based on respect for International Law, are well known. It is these positions we promote in all our contacts with our Turkish interlocutors.
JOURNALIST: A few days ago, the EU Foreign Affairs Council adopted the Strategic Compass. Is Greece satisfied with this text?
N. DENDIAS: The negotiation for this text started last November, when the security situation in Europe was different. Then, a painstaking negotiation among the 27 European countries ensued.
It is of particular importance that all these countries reiterated their commitment to the fundamental principles of Greek foreign policy, such as, inter alia, respect for International Law, for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, and the principles of International Law of the Sea. Member States have also explicitly reiterated their commitment to the mutual assistance clause in the event of a European country being attacked by a non-EU third country.
As expected, there was greater focus on the Russian threat. However, there are clear references to other areas of immediate Greek interest in the text: to the Western Balkans, for instance, as well as the Middle East and North Africa. For Turkey in particular, I note that despite the “charm offence” and the “upgrading” of our neighbour, Turkey continues to constitute a major challenge for the European Union.
The Strategic Compass emphasizes that, if Turkey returns to its provocative and infringing conduct, there will be consequences.
I note with interest the relevant press release of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which strongly condemned the adoption of the Strategic Compass. Any comments would be superfluous.
JOURNALIST: A few days ago, in the midst of the Ukraine crisis, you took two whirlwind trips, first to New York and then to India. What prompted you to make these visits? They were definitely not leisure trips.
N. DENDIAS: You could not have been more pertinent. I must have spent more hours on the plane than on the ground. But the contacts I had were very important. Both with the UN Secretary General António Guterres and with my Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar, we discussed, as expected, the situation in Ukraine, but I also had the opportunity to brief them on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Cyprus issue.
At the same time, we discussed the candidacy of Greece for the Security Council for the 2025-26 term and I announced our candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2029-30 term, as well as our candidacy for the Presidency of the UN General Assembly in 2035.
India, as I have repeatedly explained, as a rising regional power firmly committed to the principles of International Law, including the Law of the Sea, and a member of the Security Council, constitutes a natural strategic partner in this endeavor of ours.
Times have changed. If we want to meet the challenges of the 21st century, we should broaden the horizons of our foreign policy and place ourselves on the international stage as a factor of stability. Under no circumstances should we remain a regional country with a limited scope and a Turkish-centered policy.