French President Emmanuel Macron is sending a message of optimism to Greece, only hours before he lands in Athens on an official visit, in an interview to newspaper “Kathimerini”. “I am aware of the efforts made by the Greeks, I know the feeling of injustice they may have felt. But I am optimistic about the future of Greece. Not out of convenience or naivety but because Greece has the power to overcome hardships and once again Greek society has impressed me. Because the positive signs are multiplying: growth is recovering, investment is rising, unemployment is decreasing”, he said. Mr. Macron, who is expected to arrive in Greece Thursday morning, says he will support Greece and its new start, explaining in his interview that his aim is to present Greece as an opportunity for investments and growth, “a location for the future and business activity”. He is categorical about him personally being against any possibility of a “Grexit”. “A common vision cannot be based on the logic of exclusion”, he says. Mr. Macron makes it clear that Greece and France have a common vision and strategic interests, underlining the opportunity to deepen the collaboration between the two nations in the fields of defence and security, saying that France wants to build a relationship that offers Greece the necessary means to ensure its interests. He calls on Athens to fully commit to a European military defence plan via opting to buy military equipment from European manufacturers. He also speaks of the effective and close cooperation between Greece and France on the terrorism.