Amid growing tensions between Israel and Turkey, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis issued a sharp warning to Ankara Sunday, declaring that “any attempt to infringe upon our sovereign rights will be met with all means at our disposal.” Athens, he added, is “fully prepared for any scenario.”
Γεραπετρίτης: «Η Ελλάδα της παθητικής διπλωματίας τελείωσε» – Μήνυμα ισχύος προς Τουρκία pic.twitter.com/yTOirEygox
— Athens Voice (@athensvoice) August 23, 2026
In an interview with local media, Gerapetritis rejected claims that Greece has pursued a soft policy toward Turkey, declaring that “the Greece of passivity and diplomatic stagnation is gone forever.” At the same time, he stressed that Athens remains interested in peace and dialogue with Ankara—but not at the expense of its sovereign rights.
Tensions between Greece and Turkey stem in part from longstanding disputes over sovereign rights and maritime boundaries in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean. Gerapetritis criticized maritime parks declared by Ankara, calling them “illegal” and arguing that they extend beyond Turkey’s territorial waters into maritime areas whose boundaries have yet to be formally delineated.
Γεραπετρίτης για ελληνοτουρκικά: «Η Ελλάδα της παθητικής διπλωματίας τελείωσε» https://t.co/YlGCv1sPbo pic.twitter.com/LKtSTG7p5s
— ΤΟ ΠΟΝΤΙΚΙ (@TOPONTIKI) August 23, 2026
Israel also featured prominently in Gerapetritis’ remarks. The foreign minister presented Athens’ relationship with Jerusalem as part of the network of strategic partnerships Greece has built in recent years. Alongside Israel, he cited the United States, France, Egypt, India and Gulf states as key relationships. His remarks come as Israel itself faces growing tensions with Turkey, placing Athens’ increasingly assertive posture toward Ankara—and its strategic partnership with Jerusalem—in a broader regional context.