Greece will cooperate with Israel on anti-drone systems and cybersecurity, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday after meeting his Israeli counterpart in Athens.
“We agreed to exchange views and know-how to be able to deal with drones and in particular swarms of unmanned vehicles and groups of unmanned subsea vehicles,” Dendias said in joint statements with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
“We will also work together in order to be ready to intercept cyber threats.”
With strong economic and diplomatic ties, Greece and Israel operate an air training center on Greek territory and have held joint military drills in recent years.
“We are equally determined regarding another critical issue: not to allow actors who seek to undermine regional stability to gain a foothold through terror, aggression or military proxies in Syria, in Gaza, in the Aegean Sea,” Katz said.
Dendias and Katz did not say who would pose drone, cyber or other threats to their countries. But Greece and Israel both see Turkey as a significant regional security concern.
This movement is one more example of past cooperation agreements between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus, reached at a trilateral summit in December, 2025.
Israel, Greece, Cyprus reaffirm security, energy commitments
Israel, Greece, and Cyprus reaffirmed their commitment to mutual support and shared strategic interests at a trilateral summit between the three countries’ leaders in Jerusalem in December, 2025.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides for what Netanyahu described as “our tenth meeting,” adding that “I think it’s the most consequential.”
Netanyahu had earlier met with both leaders individually before they were joined by diplomatic teams, including energy ministry representatives, and held a three-way meeting. He said the leaders were “cooperating and discussing in detail cooperation in many fields: energy, technology, connectivity, and also security.”
Christodoulides also met separately with President Isaac Herzog.
Israel-Cyprus-Greece relations
The triumvirate has a close relationship that took shape about 15 years ago, when energy cooperation became a central pillar of relations among the three nations. That cooperation was again at the center of Monday’s summit, with Netanyahu announcing that the three countries would move forward with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
“We will advance IMEC,” Netanyahu said. “This is an idea that has been brought forward before, but we think we have to put it into reality.” He described the project as a combination of maritime routes, energy pipelines, and cable connectivity linking Asia and Europe via Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.
Greece is undergoing a €25 billion-€28 billion military modernization program, the country’s most ambitious defense overhaul in modern history, designed to transform the Hellenic Armed Forces into one of Europe’s most technologically advanced militaries.
The program, running from 2025 to 2036, allocates some €2b.-€2.5b. annually to strengthen Greece’s deterrence capabilities. Key acquisitions include 20 F-35 fighter jets, advanced drone and cyber systems, and the development of Achilles’ Shield: a multi-layered air, missile, and anti-drone defense network that will see a range of Israeli systems as key platforms.
It includes a $3.5 billion investment in Israeli-made Barak MX, David’s Sling, and Spyder systems, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, to replace aging American and Russian platforms.
Added to existing Patriot batteries, these acquisitions will give Greece one of Europe’s most sophisticated air-defense networks.
Greece last year approved the purchase of 36 Israeli-made PULS rocket artillery systems for about 650 million euros ($762.52 million).
Alex Winston, Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.
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