The leaders of Greece and France signed nine new bilateral cooperation agreements between their allied nations in Athens on Saturday.
French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the Maximos Mansion after he had earlier visited the French-made frigate Kimon with the Greek Prime Minister at the Port of Piraeus.
“Your visit has sent a very clear message of what you said yesterday, “Greece and France, alliance,” is a principle to which we will all remain committed and through which we will continue to strengthen our cooperation,” the Greek Premier told his guest.
The two nations’ strategic partnership in defense and security, first signed in 2021, was extended during the Maximos Mansion meeting, and new cooperation deals were signed, covering additional areas such as energy, economy, culture and innovation.
“This is why this relationship is important, both for your country, which stands on the frontline of some of the most significant challenges facing Europeans, and for both our nations,” French President Macron told Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis.
Greece France alliance strengthened by nine new agreements
A ceremony for the signing of a series of agreements between Greece and France was held at the Maximos Mansion, beginning with the Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
The following agreements were also signed:
- An agreement on the renewal of the strategic partnership for cooperation in defence and security between Greece and France
- A roadmap to strengthen cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic
- A Joint Declaration of Intent between the Ministry of Education of the Hellenic Republic and the Ministry of Education of the French Republic to further enhance bilateral cooperation in vocational education, training and lifelong learning
- An Action Plan to strengthen cooperation in the fields of higher education and scientific research between the Hellenic Republic and the French Republic for the period 2026-2030
- A Joint Declaration of Intent for the establishment of cooperation in the field of nuclear technology between the Ministry of Development of the Hellenic Republic and the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial, Energy and Digital Sovereignty of the French Republic
- An agreement on the establishment of an intergovernmental organisation for the development and operation of digital ocean systems and information services
- A Declaration of Intent for cooperation in research and development in the defence sector and in innovation in defence and military technologies and systems
- A Framework Agreement for the follow-on support of MICA IR/RF missiles and the first Implementing Arrangement for 2026 between the Ministry of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic and MBDA France.
In the afternoon, Mitsotakis and Macron will visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, where they will speak at the Greece-France Economic Forum organized by the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises in cooperation with the French-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A key axis in the Mediterranean region
Speaking to AMNA, government sources stressed that this new extended agreement makes Greece more secure, enhances its geopolitical standing, and creates additional economic opportunities and synergies across a range of sectors, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The same sources observed that Greece and France are becoming a key axis in the Mediterranean region, sharing common positions in favour of international law and multilateralism, supporting the Law of the Sea and UNCLOS, thereby strengthening Greece’s arguments at the international level.
The agreement also provides for enhanced coordination with France within the European Union, strengthening Greece’s position in European decision-making, support for border protection and the fight against smuggling networks, as well as reinforced cooperation in education.
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