Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and French President Emmanuel Macron arrived on Saturday morning at Pier 12 at the Port of Piraeus to visit the frigate Kimon, the first of four state-of-the-art warships that Greece has recently acquired from France.
The French President, currently on an official visit to Greece, was welcomed by the Greek Premier, the country’s Defence Minister Nikos Dendias and the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff.
Greece and France leaders inspect warship in Piraeus port
Upon their arrival on Kimon, the two leaders inspected the guard of honour, followed by the playing of the two national anthems. During the anthems, Rafale fighter jets, also acquired from France, conducted a flypast, after which Prime Minister Mitsotakis and President Macron boarded the frigate.
On board the frigate Kimon were the two leaders, the defence ministers of Greece and France, the deputy foreign ministers of both countries, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff and the Commander of the Fleet.
Mitsotakis and Macron proceeded to the Operations Centre for a tour led by the frigate’s commanding officer, moving through the Planning Room and concluding on the Bridge.
President Macron’s official visit to Greece
The President of the French Republic arrived at Athens International Airport on Friday for a two-day official visit to Greece, ahead of the renewal of the two countries’ strategic defence partnership for a further five years.
On Friday evening, the two leaders took part in a public dialogue at the iconic Roman Forum in Athens, a historical site closely connected to the very roots of democracy in the city where it originated from.
The discussion was moderated by Greek investigative journalist Alexis Papahelas and covered topics of European security, economic competitiveness, and the EU’s response to shifting global dynamics
The evening concluded with an official dinner in President Macron’s honor at the Presidential Mansion in Athens.
Heureux d’être de retour à Athènes et de retrouver de grands amis. La Grèce et la France sont liées par une amitié profonde et nos nations ont quelque chose de commun : elles pensent toujours au-delà d’elles-mêmes. Dans ce désordre mondial, cela compte beaucoup. pic.twitter.com/liCTc1KJxb
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 24, 2026
A call for strategic autonomy of Europe
In receiveing the French leader, the President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tassoulas stated that the Greek-French cooperation “is a model of cooperation for all of Europe in a new geopolitical environment where decades-old certainties are called into question and international legitimacy is being attacked on all sides.”
“The Greek and French civilizations have engaged in fruitful dialog for centuries, contributing significantly to the formation of contemporary European identity. Europe must now assume its historical duties and become a strong geopolitical power, as the times of carefree living are relegated to the past,” the Greek president added.
In his address, Tassoulas referred to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine four-year war on the European contienent and the 52 years since the invasion of Cyprus by Turkiye, which opened a festering wound in Europe’s body. Another front has recently opened in the Middle East, while the European Union faces challenges of cohesion and society’s resilience.
“No country can face these threats alone or take advantage of opportunities presented,” Tassoulas said, and Europe must proceed quickly to its strategic autonomy. Greece and France share viewpoints on their bilateral relation, European integration, and the path that the global community ought to follow in the future, and this is creates optimism for peaceful battles faced together,” he noted.
The two countries signed a strategic partnership in 2021 on cooperation in defense and security, which brought excellent results in five years and will be renewed on Saturday, and automatically from now on.
“Our friendship fully justifies this decision,” the French leader said, as he pointed out that the new, expanded framework of the agreement will allow Greece and France to do more for citizens’ security, regional stability, competitiveness of the economies, and the defense of values.
“Our fate has been linked for centuries now,” Macron stated. “Never doubt that France and the French love you. Whenever you face a threat, you should know we will stand by you.”
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