‘Nostos 4’ operation successfully concluded

The convoy that left Odessa on Saturday morning, accompanied by Consul General Dimitris Dohtsis, crossed the Ukrainian-Moldovan border, and the operation ‘Nostos 4‘ was successfully concluded, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias posted on Saturday on Twitter.

Dendias said that officials of the Greek embassy in Bucharest was waiting for them at the border.

• The operation involved 25 people, 9 of whom were sailors of a Greek-owned ship. The 3 sailors were Greeks.
• The operation started this morning from Odessa with destination the Zatoka bridge,  Belgorod and Moldova.
• The operation was coordinated by Consul General in Odessa, Dimitris Dohtsis, who is returning to Odessa.

Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos: Developments in Ukraine highlight the need for substantial European strategic autonomy

Developments in Ukraine highlight the need for substantial European strategic autonomy. Autonomy in decision making, autonomy in choices, autonomy in action. We must act as a strong and cohesive political player to support the values and principles that underpin our democracies, to take greater responsibility for our own security, and to support international peace with our partners. Now is the time to act together, Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said on Saturday in an interview with the newspaper “Kathimerini”.

In the last two years, Panagiotopoulos stated that “Greece has been forced to spend billions of euros to improve the combat capability of the Armed Forces, as we are forced due to the strategic security challenges we face in our immediate neighborhood and beyond.”

He pointed out that “it is time for EU member states to spend more on EU collective defence. “I think it is a positive development that several member states, including Germany, have stated their intention to increase their defense budgets.”

Referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he stressed that “not only did it bring the war to Europe of the 21st century in terms of gross violations of international law and international legitimacy”, but “it is also a key blow to the security architecture of Europe.”