Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan continued his provocative rhetoric against Greece during the inaugural summit of the European Political Community in Prague on Thursday, accusing Athens of basing its policies on “lies.”
There is nothing worth discussing with Greece at the moment he said, as he warned that Turkey may retaliate against Greece’s violations.
Turkey’s President said Athens understood Ankara’s message when Turkish officials said “we may suddenly arrive one night,” a comment seen as a threat to a neighboring state.
“They are not where they are supposed to be,” Erdogan told a news conference in Prague. “Their entire policy is based on lies, [and] they are not honest. We have nothing to discuss with Greece.”
Erdogan also said he expects the European Union “to call on Greece for dialogue on a bilateral basis instead of supporting illegal initiatives masquerading as unity or solidarity.”
Mitsotakis responds to Erdogan’s accusations against Greece
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country is open to a dialogue with the neighboring country.
“Greece never provokes, [and] it always responds with confidence when provoked,” Mitsotakis said as EU leaders prepared to meet in Prague on Friday.
“It does not make sense to accuse Greece of raising the tension in the Aegean when Turkey even raises issues of the sovereignty of the islands,” he said.
Nevertheless, the Greek leaders said that “Greece is not closing the door to dialogue,” adding that “we are sure that we have international law on our side.”
The two leaders were participating at the first meeting of the European Political Community (EPC). EPC is a platform for political and strategic discussions about the future of Europe, established in 2022 with participants from forty-four European countries, including Turkey.
On Monday, Greek officials said they would welcome Ankara’s request for a meeting between Erdogan and Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the Prague summit.
The next day, Erdogan criticized Mitsotakis for seeking U.S. assistance amid ongoing tensions with Turkey, saying “we will continue to do what is necessary.”
“The Greek Prime Minister is seeking help from the U.S.,” the President said in speaking at a conference in Ankara. “Against what? Against Türkiye. Whatever you do, we will continue to and are ready to do whatever is necessary.”
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