The extension of the presence of the Greek Patriot missiles in Saudi Arabia as well as the wider defense cooperation between Greece and Saudi Arabia were the main issues discussed during the meeting of National Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and his counterpart in Saudi Arabia Prince Khalid bin Salman.
“Greece, with an array of ‘Patriot’ missiles, participates in the air defense of the Kingdom, but I must say that it also contributes to the wider energy security, because it protects the oil production facilities of Saudi Arabia, which are also important for Greece’s energy security,” the Greek Defense Minister said.
I had the opportunity to meet with my Saudi Arabian counterpart, Prince Khalid bin Salman. We first discussed the extension of the Hellenic presence in the Kingdom.
As you know, Greece contributes to the Kingdom's air defence with one "Patriot" missile battery, but also… pic.twitter.com/0P31o54wBT
— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) November 9, 2023
“We discussed the joint exercises between the armed forces of the Kingdom and the Hellenic Republic, but I also had the opportunity to invite Saudi Arabia to participate in the new ecosystem of innovation and defense industries and businesses that we are organizing in Greece. I believe that there is a lot of ground for further tightening of our relations,” Dendias underlined.
“We also discussed the broader situation in the Middle East, Hamas and the terrorist attacks against Israel, but also the need to normalize the situation as quickly as possible,” he added.
