The defense ministers of the UK and Greece will sign a declaration of defense cooperation on a British Royal Navy cruiser at the naval base of Portsmouth on Tuesday.
Ben Wallace and Nikos Panagiotopoulos will sign a Joint Vision Statement.
The goal is “to strengthen our already close relationship in order to face common threats and challenges together while looking forward to new opportunities for future cooperation”, noted the representative of the British Ministry of Defense to Athens-Macedonia News Agency (AMNA).
“We have a historic defense relationship with Greece and continue to work closely together as strategic partners and allies in NATO,” the British official added.
According to Greek diplomatic sources, the new agreement between the United Kingdom and Greece will, among other things, provide for the strengthening of the defense relations between the two countries, the joint training of military personnel, and joint exercises.
UK Greece defense accord on hybrid warfare and cyber-attacks
At the same time, it will define a new cooperation framework for dealing with modern threats such as hybrid warfare and cyber-attacks.
The two ministers are expected to discuss issues of cooperation within the framework of NATO in view of the meeting of the NATO Defense Ministers that will take place in Brussels on February 14 and 15.
As a top government source told AMNA, Panagiotopoulos and Wallace have an excellent relationship as they often talk on the phone about matters of common interest such as the developments in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean and the war in Ukraine.
“This trip confirms the good relationship that the two ministers have developed in recent years, as well as the practical strengthening of diplomatic cooperation between the two countries,” a government source pointed out to AMNA.
The signing of the agreement will take place on the flagship warship Diamond D34. It is the third in a series of highly capable Type 45 destroyers and one of the most advanced warships in the world.
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