With a pointed reminder of Athens’ unwavering commitment to “international law and respect for states” — and certainly not by coincidence — Greek diplomatic sources responded to the unexpected and unusually harsh statements issued by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova regarding the recent Greece–Ukraine agreement on unmanned maritime drones.

Threats Rejected

“In its international relations, Greece always acts in accordance with international law and with full respect for sovereign states,” diplomatic sources emphasized, stressing that “it is the self-evident right of every country to conclude intergovernmental agreements. Especially when agreements such as the one between Greece and Ukraine ensure energy sufficiency and security, which are conditions for human well-being. Threats against sovereign states are automatically dismissed,” they added, following the unprecedented accusations from Moscow.

Zakharova had claimed that Greece is “pursuing a confrontational policy toward Russia and taking openly hostile actions,” alleging that Athens was among the first to send weapons and ammunition to Ukraine—material which she claimed was used “against civilians” in various occupied regions. She further referenced the historical presence of ethnic Greeks in these areas.

In statements relayed by TASS, Zakharova went on to describe the recent Greece–Ukraine agreements of 17 November as cooperation “with the Nazi regime in Kyiv,” specifically highlighting the deal on the development and use of maritime drones. “This step, like many other anti-Russian actions by the collective West aimed at defeating Russia on the battlefield, has been assessed accordingly and will receive an appropriate response,” she warned.

The Trigger

The comments were prompted by the bilateral agreement announced during President Zelensky’s visit to Athens. According to the Mitsotakis–Zelensky joint statement, the two countries agreed to deepen defense cooperation with an emphasis on maritime security. This includes collaboration on the development and use of unmanned maritime aerial vehicles (UAVs), joint exercises and training on unmanned systems, and enhanced information-sharing on maritime threats.

However, Zakharova’s reaction is difficult to interpret through the lens of regional balance. Numerous countries have maintained robust defense or economic cooperation with Ukraine for years — including Turkey — without prompting similar outbursts from Moscow. Moreover, the Greece–Ukraine cooperation has no visible connection to active battlefields, focusing instead on the transfer of technological know-how for maritime-domain drones, with no direct military application in the current conflict.

.