Negotiations betwixt Greece and Ukraine for a co-production task maritime drones reached an impasse owed to disagreements implicit their use successful the lawsuit of hostilities, reports Euroactiv.
Greece is acrophobic that Ukraine is insisting connected the close to enactment successful decisions astir however unmanned surface vehicles it plans to nutrient jointly with Athens will beryllium used.
The practice statement was concluded successful November 2025. It involves the use Ukrainian maritime drone technologieswhile accumulation should beryllium carried retired done a mixed concern structure, where the starring relation is played by Greek shipyards.
For Ukraine the deployment of such systems is cardinal to Black Seawhere they are used against the Russian fleet. At the aforesaid clip Greece considers these drones arsenic an important constituent successful strengthening its presumption successful Aegean Seawhere a semipermanent confrontation with Turkeywhich, arsenic noted, developed its ain maritime drone backmost successful 2021.
According to Greek media reports, Kyiv has enactment guardant a information connected the close approve the use of drones Greek equipped forces successful the lawsuit of conflict.
Athens did not hold with this demandconsidering it a regularisation of the sovereign close to use one’s ain weapons.
Negotiations person efficaciously reached a dormant end, Euractiv notes. Greek governmental circles judge that Kyiv’s presumption whitethorn beryllium related to an effort maintain equilibrium successful relations with Turkeywhich remains a mediator successful negotiations with Moscow. At the aforesaid time, the Ukrainian broadside did not officially corroborate such motivation.
Earlier, successful November 2025, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky visited Greece, where an statement was signed betwixt the institution Naftogaz of Ukraine and a Greek state institution DEPA Commercial connected earthy state supplies.
In addition, arsenic the work reported Kathimerinia confidential statement was concluded to found a caller accumulation enactment successful Greek shipyards.
It is planned to nutrient astatine these facilities unmanned boats for supplies to some Ukrainian and Greek equipped forces. The work noted that Athens is striving close the spread with Turkey successful the improvement of maritime unmanned systems.
Editorial comment
This struggle is not technical, but political.
Ukraine, by transferring technologies, is trying to support power connected their application. Greece, successful turn, is not acceptable to beryllium connected outer coordination successful matters of defense.
The essence of the quality is simple: who makes the determination to use a weapon – the 1 who developed it, oregon the 1 who produces and uses it.
Why Kyiv insists connected the close of control:
Firstlyit’s astir trying maintain power implicit its ain subject technology. Marine drones – 1 of the fewer toolswhere Ukraine has gained a existent advantage, and transferring them without restrictions means a nonaccomplishment of influence.
SecondlyKyiv seeks to debar a situation successful which these systems will beryllium used successful someone else’s conflictnot straight related to Ukrainian interests.
Thirdly, remains an important origin Türkiye. For Athens it is simply a strategic rival, while for Kyiv it is an important diplomatic spouse and mediator successful contacts with Moscow. Ukraine is not funny successful its technologies being used against Ankara.
Finally, it cannot beryllium ruled retired influence of outer restrictionsassociated with the use of Western components and technologies, which whitethorn besides necessitate power implicit the use of such systems.
Conclusion: The struggle implicit drones is simply a reflection of a deeper struggle of interests. Greece wants afloat sovereignty successful matters of defense, Ukraine wants to support power implicit what it considers its strategic asset. In the existent configuration, these positions are practically incompatible.
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