Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, said a new global order is on the rise, with attempts to revive the imperial ambitions of previous centuries and some leaders trapped in the past, chasing illusions of bygone glory.  His country is allocating over 3 per cent of its GDP to defence and is ready to do more.  “With war returning to our continent, there is simply no other option,” he said.  Citing 7 October 2023, he said Greece has advocated for Israel’s right to defend itself against a terrorist organization that rejects Israel’s right to exist, but he added that no military can justify the death of thousands of children and the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinian people. “The continuation of this course of action will ultimately harm Israel’s own interests, leading to an erosion of international support,” he stressed.

The war in Ukraine is not another regional European conflict, he continued.  “It is a fight for freedom, for democracy and for dignity itself; it is, above all, a defence of the rules-based global order,” he said, pledging to continue support to the Ukrainian people, who have the right to live in peace and security and freely determine their future.  There can be no peace formula without Ukraine at the table, and there can be no acceptance, under any circumstances, of borders redrawn by force.  The world must also not forget the people of Sudan.  “We owe them nothing less than peace, and the chance of a future built on hope, not despair,” he underscored.

While Greece seeks peaceful coexistence with Türkiye, he said the calm seas witnessed over the past two years must not be fleeting.  As the only major outstanding issue between the two countries is the delimitation of the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone, “Türkiye must remove the threat of war against Greece that still hangs as a dark cloud over our relations”, he said.  “For 51 years, Cyprus has endured the consequences of Türkiye’s illegal invasion and continued military occupation,” he continued, voicing commitment to Cyprus’ sovereignty, its territorial integrity and the solution of one State based on a bizonal, bicommunal federation.

Turning to other neighbours, he said the Libyan people must be free to determine their future without foreign interference and that Syria’s future must be built on tolerance, dialogue and full political representation for all religious and ethnic communities.  The future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union, he said, adding that the ghosts of Balkan nationalism had haunted the region for centuries and must not be allowed to reemerge.  On artificial intelligence, he stressed that in the wrong hands and without safeguards, it can become extremely dangerous.  Big platforms can no longer profit at the expense of children’s mental health, he insisted.