“The statement by Mr. Rubio was clear: Turkey is not going to acquire F-35 fighter jets under the current conditions,” said Tasos Hatzivassiliou, Member of Parliament for Serres and Secretary for International Relations and European Union Affairs of Greece’s ruling New Democracy party, speaking on OPEN television on Thursday morning and commenting on remarks made by the U.S. Secretary of State.

According to Hatzivassiliou, a change in the American position would not depend solely on a political decision by any U.S. administration but would also require Congressional approval. He recalled that Ankara was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after insisting on purchasing Russian missile systems. As a result, Turkey now remains outside a program in which, had it stayed, it would have been a co-producing partner and would already have received approximately 100 F-35 aircraft.

Comments on the “Blue Homeland” Legislation

Referring to reports about a planned Turkish bill related to the “Blue Homeland” doctrine, the former Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that:

“Greece sent messages and informed allies and partners.”

Hatzivassiliou noted that, according to leaks from Turkey so far, the controversial “Blue Homeland” bill appears to have been postponed until the autumn. He described this as a small positive development, as it could help avoid heightened tensions in the Aegean during the summer season.

However, he emphasized that no official announcement has yet been made by the Turkish government.

Greece Has Already Taken Action

He also argued that those accusing the Greek government of remaining silent either ignore or deliberately overlook the fact that Athens has already acted methodically, highlighting the ongoing diplomatic activity of Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis.

In the same context, Hatzivassiliou stated that Turkey’s reaction is not unrelated to what he described as Greece’s legitimate initiatives in recent years. He referred to:

• Maritime spatial planning measures.
• The establishment of national marine parks.
• Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) agreements with Italy and Egypt, which he said undermine the Turkey–Libya maritime memorandum.
• Greece’s defense support for Cyprus and Bulgaria.

“A Defensive Shield from the Danube to Syria”

Hatzivassiliou concluded by arguing that Turkey did not expect a situation in which Greece would possess what he described as:

“A defensive eye of protection stretching from the Danube to Syria.”

According to him, Greece’s recent diplomatic, maritime, and defense initiatives have significantly strengthened its regional position and altered strategic calculations in the wider Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan regions.