Greece continues to build military strength in the Mediterranean

Greece has taken delivery of the first of four state-of-the-art frigates, each costing around €1 billion ($1.17 billion), which Athens purchased from France.

"This is another step towards ensuring that no one questions the country's deterrence capability," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Thursday at the ceremony to welcome the warship, which was broadcast on Greek television.

The purchase of the Belharra-class ships is part of the country's major armament programme. Athens plans to invest €25 billion in new weapon systems, ships, fighter jets and modern defence technologies by 2036. The EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) armament programme will also be used for this purpose.

The plans include the purchase of 20 US F-35 stealth jets and new Israeli air-defence systems.

Although the country is still rebuilding after the severe financial crisis of 2010 to 2018, the high military spending is not being criticized by either political parties or the population.

The decades-long conflict with neighbouring Turkey has resulted in repeated tensions between the two NATO members, sometimes verging on armed conflict. Among other things, the dispute concerns sovereignty rights in the Aegean Sea and raw materials such as natural gas in the Mediterranean.

According to military sources, the current international situation is strengthening the stance of conservative government, because the conflict over Greenland shows that NATO membership does not automatically protect against aggression from another NATO partner.

The war in Ukraine and instability in the Middle East are also cited as reasons for the large-scale rearmament.