Reznikov visites Greece: Athens promisea to provide artillery shells, infantry fighting vehicles, access to hospitals
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov visited Athens on Thursday as part of regular meetings with NATO officials. During the visit, he held a meeting with Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, AP reports.
Panagiotopoulos confirmed Greece's readiness to provide military assistance to Ukraine "for as long as it takes."
“Greece will provide every support to Ukraine at this very important, crucial stage of the war. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said during a joint appearance with Reznikov: We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes — that’s a very clear position that we have taken from the outset,” Panagiotopoulos said during a joint performance with Reznikov.
Thus, Greece promised additional supplies of ammunition for artillery and small arms, access to Greek hospitals for wounded servicemen and additional infantry fighting vehicles of Soviet-era infantry fighting vehicles.
Military officials said Greece had also provided instructors for Ukrainian special forces and tank operators as a contribution to the massive military assistance effort led by the United States and its allies.
At the same time, Panagiotopoulos, speaking in parliament on the eve of Reznikov's visit, said that Greece would not provide any military assistance that could jeopardize its own defense, and stressed that the main plans for arms purchases remain unchanged, despite the recent easing of tensions with neighboring Turkey and another NATO member.
According to the minister, German-made Leopard tanks cannot be provided.
"There are rumors that we will send fighters, and S-300, and this, and that. For God's sake. We are giving what we can give, but nothing that could weaken our own defensive capabilities even a little, given our own national security challenges," he stressed.
Reznikov, in turn, said that Greece had offered assistance to Ukraine for better integration of its navy with NATO.
"After this war, after Ukraine's victory in this war, we, together with our partners, will continue to develop our defense capability," he said.
