Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias met his Cypriot counterpart, Vasilis Palmas, during the latter’s official visit to Greece on 10 September 2026. The ministers discussed ways to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, developments concerning the Cyprus issue, and security in the Eastern Mediterranean, the wider Middle East and Ukraine.

At the start of the meeting, Dendias expressed his sorrow over the deaths of two Hellenic Air Force officers, Ioannis Blesias and Dimitrios Petrou, and offered his condolences to their families. He thanked Palmas for his condolences and stressed the close ties between Greece and Cyprus. Dendias also expressed support for Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides’ efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue. He described Greece and Cyprus as an axis of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean and said their cooperation was grounded in international law, the law of the sea and the principles of the United Nations.

Dendias briefed Palmas on the implementation of Greece’s “Agenda 2030” defence programme, particularly the development of innovative products and the use of advanced technologies. The ministers also examined ways to strengthen the multilateral partnerships in which both countries participate and discussed cooperation within the European Union, with particular attention to the SAFE programme and the development of the EU defence industry.