The signing of the renewed defense cooperation agreement between the two countries—an agreement of major national importance—is imminent.

On behalf of Greece, the agreement will be signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Giorgos Gerapetritis and Nikos Dendias.

A key element of this agreement, which is renewed until 2031, is that it will be the last one signed in the presence of the French president and the Greek prime minister, as it will now include an automatic five-year renewal clause unless one of the two parties withdraws.

In practice, this means that after 2031, its extension to 2036 will occur automatically, without requiring intervention from either government. This move is also linked to the broader discussion on European defense, as Mitsotakis and Macron are opening the debate on how Article 42(7) of the European Union Treaty on collective defense could be activated in an automated way.

Already yesterday, Macron clearly demonstrated the strength of the Greek–French relationship when asked whether France would support Greece in case its national sovereignty were threatened. “If your sovereignty is threatened, do what is necessary—we will be here for you,” Macron said during his discussion with Mitsotakis at the Roman Agora, drawing warm applause from the audience.

The strategic partnership

The defense agreement, however, is only part of the bigger picture. In fact, Mitsotakis and Macron are expected to sign a broader agreement today that upgrades the already close Greek–French ties to the level of a multi-layered strategic partnership.

This refers to a comprehensive Strategic Partnership between France and Greece—an agreement that marks alignment and cooperation not only in defense, but also in the economy, civil protection, migration, technology, the environment, education, and culture, as well as cooperation within the framework of the European Union and international organizations.

Additional agreements are also expected to be signed in areas such as education and innovation.