Greece has agreed to Saudi Arabia’s request to keep its Patriot missile battery deployed in the Kingdom amid the current critical situation in the Middle East, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud during a meeting in Riyadh.
The prime minister condemned the attacks against Saudi Arabia and underlined Greece’s tangible solidarity with the Kingdom, noting that Greece has been contributing to its air defences through the deployment of a Patriot battery since 2021.
He stressed that the Greek presence contributes not only to Saudi Arabia’s security but also to regional security, as the Greek battery protects critical energy infrastructure in Yanbu, on the Red Sea coast.
During the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed the strategic nature of Greece-Saudi Arabia relations and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation, particularly in defence, energy and connectivity.
Particular emphasis was placed on regional developments, Iran and the wider Middle East. Mitsotakis highlighted the need to safeguard freedom of navigation, stressing that Greece, as a major maritime power, attaches the utmost importance to the security of international shipping lanes and the uninterrupted flow of global trade.
The prime minister reiterated that the international legal framework must be respected and that no restrictions should be imposed on freedom of navigation, as this would set a dangerous precedent.