Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis met today in Athens with the Minister for European Affairs of Sweden, Hans Dahlgren.
Talks focused on Sweden's accession to NATO, with Mr. Varvitsiotis expressing his support for Sweden’s and Finland’s application to join NATO, noting that its submission constitutes a historic decision and will strengthen Europe's collective security. Mr. Dahlgren thanked him for our country's support and informed him of the ongoing discussions to overcome Türkiye's objections.
As regards the war in Ukraine, Mr. Varvitsiotis emphasized the importance of ending the war immediately and maintaining European unity in the face of the multiple crises it has caused. The two ministers also assessed the impact of the European sanctions imposed on Russia thus far and discussed the new geopolitical map that is taking shape following the European Commission's decision that Ukraine and Moldova should be granted candidate status. The Alternate Minister noted that this move should not send the wrong signals to the already candidate countries of the Western Balkans.
Ahead of the upcoming European Council, the issue of Europe's energy security was also discussed. Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed the need to diversify Europe's energy sources and to take measures to counter inflationary trends in order to support European citizens who are economically affected.
Lastly, during the meeting, the Alternate Minister briefed the Swedish Minister for European Affairs on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean and the escalation of Turkish aggression, referring to the challenges Greece faces due to Türkiye's unlawful conduct.
June 20, 2022