Greek PM: Greece rules out sending air defense systems to Ukraine

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece can not offer air defense systems like 'Patriots' or S-300 to Ukraine responding to pressure from EU and NATO allies to send more military aid to Kyiv.

With Russia having stepped up air attacks on Ukraine, EU governments are under pressure to supply more protective systems to Kyiv especially countries like Greece and Spain that have such systems in their arsenal.

"Greece is not going to send S-300 or Patriot to Ukraine," Mitsotakis said in an interview on Skai TV late on Thursday.

Defense is a very sensitive issue for Athens given the tensions with Turkey, especially for a conservative government.

The US will host on Friday a virtual meeting of Ukraine's international aid donors, days after Congress emerged from a half-year of deadlock to approve a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine.

Reuters