Greece has issued a formal diplomatic demarche to Ukraine after fishermen discovered an armed naval drone off the island of Lefkada on May 7. Athens warned that the incident endangered maritime traffic, civilians, the environment, and national security.
Greek Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lana Zochiou said during the regular briefing of diplomatic correspondents that Athens formally raised the issue with Kyiv after authorities found the unmanned surface vessel inside Greek territorial waters.
According to Zochiou, Greece’s protest note stressed that the naval drone posed a serious threat to maritime navigation and could have cost innocent lives. Athens also warned that the presence of an armed unmanned vessel in Greek waters could have caused major environmental damage.
Greece warns against moving war operations to the Mediterranean
The Greek government said the incident raised broader security concerns, as it appeared to bring military activity linked to the war in Ukraine into the Mediterranean, far from the actual battlefield.
“The transfer of war operations to the Mediterranean, at a great distance from the real front of the war, puts our national security at risk and deals a decisive blow to our national economy,” the protest note stated, according to Zochiou.
For Greece, the presence of an armed naval drone in its waters carries particular sensitivity because the country relies heavily on shipping, tourism, fishing, and maritime security. Athens made clear that it would view any expansion of war-related activity into the Mediterranean as a direct threat to Greek interests.
Greece’s demarche to Ukraine says self-defense doesn’t justify drone incident
Greece also told Ukraine that Kyiv’s right to defend itself against Russia cannot justify actions that endanger Greek territory, civilians, or maritime activity.
“The right of Ukraine to self-defense cannot justify such actions,” Athens stated in the diplomatic demarche.
The Greek government strongly objected to the illegal presence of the armed unmanned surface vessel in Greek territorial waters and called on Ukraine to avoid similar actions in the future.
Athens also urged Kyiv to refrain from what it described as the unjustified transfer of military operations to the Mediterranean.
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