![Scholz-Mitsotakis talks: arms, energy, Ukraine, Eastern Mediterranean and Turkish provocations](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/germany-3.jpg)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s scheduled talks with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on 27 October will cover a wide-ranging agenda from the war in Ukraine and the circular deal to send armoured vehicles to Kyiv, to further arms collaboration, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and energy (following the second illegal Turkey-Libya cooperation agreement recently) and Turkey’s constant threats of war in the Aegean, an issue on which Athens would like to have a stronger denunciation from the German Chancellor than Berlin has expressed until now.
Scholz will be in Athens one day after a visit to Paris for talks with Emmanuel Macron, and the Greek-German collaboration in arming Ukraine, to which Athens is sending 40 Soviet BMP-1 armoured vehicles and is receiving in return 40 German Marders, will be high on the agenda in talks with Mitsotakis.
One day after the talks, the German Marders will take part in the annual military parade in Thessaloniki marking OXI Day, Greece’s refusal to surrender to Mussolini’s Italy and the subsequent war, in which Greece’s successes forced Hitler’s Germany to step in.
Ankara has expressed its consternation over Greece’s acquisition of the German armoured vehicles.
Berlin does not want to be a direct party to Russo-Ukrainian war
The so-called circular deals allow Germany to arm Ukraine as it has promised without being a direct party to the Russo-Ukrainian war, while for the countries that send arms directly to Ukraine the German arms they receive in return will represent an upgrade of their arsenal, according to Berlin.
Some former military top brass in Greece, however, have questioned whether the Marders indeed serve the country’s defensive needs against Turkey better than the BMP-1.
Berlin has made similar circular deals with the Czech Republic and Poland.
Further Greek-German arms procurement cooperation
The arms deal involving Ukraine reportedly may lead to a more expansive Greek-German arms cooperation.
According to a recent report in the German daily Welt, reported on by DW, the German arms giant KMW (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann), the European market leader in heavily armoured vehicles, is planning a collaboration with the Mytilineos Group, a global industrial and energy company, for the co-production in Greece of third generation Leopard 2 battle tanks.
Energy cooperation
Berlin has for quite some time expressed an interest in energy cooperation with Greece, which will reportedly be on the agenda of the Scholz-Mitsotakis talks.
Greece’s capacity for the development of renewable energy sources and for the storage and transport of LNG have long been of particular interest for Berlin.
Athens has strongly touted its future capacity for energy exports to Europe, as underlined very recently during Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas’ during a visit to Berlin.
Berlin’s stance on Turkish provocations, threats of war against Greece
Germany’s public statements regarding Ankara’s threats of war against Greece have been lukewarm at best, though Berlin, like Washington, has made statements rejecting challenges to countries’ territorial integrity, in this case in the Aegean.
Wolfgang Buchner, the deputy spokesperson of the federal Government, said on 21 October that Berlin does not approve of aggressive statements about neighbours, but also that it is best that one not overly stress every statement of the Turkish leadership.
“We always make it clear that we do not consider it right to make threats or unfriendly statements against neighbours. The government makes this clear at every opportunity. The foreign ministry also always makes this clear,” Buchner said, while adding: “I do not believe, however, that we should talk a great deal about every phrase that is uttered,” Buchner said.
![ot.gr](/wp-content/themes/whsk_otgr/common/imgs/fav.ico/favicon-32x32.png)
![ot.gr](/wp-content/themes/whsk_otgr/common/imgs/fav.ico/favicon-32x32.png)
Latest News
![Gov’t Eyes Return of Power Subsidies Amid Spike in Rates](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/power-lines-2048x1365-1-600x400.jpg)
Gov’t Eyes Return of Power Subsidies Amid Spike in Rates
According to reports, the government will resume an electricity subsidization program, given that forecasts cite disruptions – i.e. higher rates
![ELSTAT: 6.3% Increase in Output Price Index for Agriculture and Livestock](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ot_georg_PROIONTA_money-1-600x352.png)
ELSTAT: 6.3% Increase in Output Price Index for Agriculture and Livestock
The 6.3% rise in May 2024 is largely driven by an 8.8% increase in the crop output group, particularly due to changes in olive oil prices, and a 0.5% increase in the animal output group.
![Balkans Blackout Highlights Climate Threats to Power Grids](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/blackout-1-600x457.png)
Balkans Blackout Highlights Climate Threats to Power Grids
The surge in electricity demand during the heat wave and the power deficit in Balkan markets have driven up prices in the Greek wholesale electricity market.
![Greece in Top 4 Destinations Favored by European Tourists](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ploio-600x400.jpg)
Greece in Top 4 Destinations Favored by European Tourists
Greece was selected by 5.9% of respondents who were asked where they would vacation this year, up from 5.4% in the same survey last year
![Scope Affirms Greece’s BBB- Ratings; Revises Outlook to Positive](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/euros-2048x1365-1-600x400.jpg)
Scope Affirms Greece’s BBB- Ratings; Revises Outlook to Positive
The international ratings firm raised Greece to investment grade in early August 2023
![First Seaplane Test Flights to Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/hellenic-seaplanes-pilotikes-ptiseis-ydatino-pedio-lavriou-600x450.jpeg)
First Seaplane Test Flights to Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros
After decades of on-again, off-again efforts to schedule regular seaplane routes to Greece's numerous island and coastal destinations the prospect now appears within sight
![ELSTAT- Overall Import Price Index for May 2024 up 2.8% y-o-y](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/unnamed-41.jpg)
ELSTAT- Overall Import Price Index for May 2024 up 2.8% y-o-y
The same price index had decreased 20.8% from May 2022 to May 2023
![Over 7 in 10 Employees Feel Their Contributions Are Not Appreciated](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ergasia-ergazomenos-600x300.jpg)
Over 7 in 10 Employees Feel Their Contributions Are Not Appreciated
Specifically, the option "Subjective opinions are prioritized over objective data" ranked highest in importance for young employees, with a score of 3.89 out of 4
![OECD: Job Vacancies on the Rise in Greece](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ergasiabusinness-768x556-1-1-600x434.jpeg)
OECD: Job Vacancies on the Rise in Greece
By the fourth quarter of 2023, job vacancies per unemployed person had risen by more than 4, with the index reaching 446 units compared to 100 units in late 2019
![OTE Group: FTTH Program Advancing in Semi-Urban and Rural Areas of Greece](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ΟΤΕ-Group_1-600x450.jpg)
OTE Group: FTTH Program Advancing in Semi-Urban and Rural Areas of Greece
This initiative will provide ultra-fast internet speeds of up to 1Gbps to over 350,000 households and businesses in semi-urban and rural areas across the country