Minister of National Defence N. Dendias meets United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, in London

Minister of National Defence N. Dendias meets United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, in London

March 17, 2026

On Tuesday 17 March 2026, the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, met his British counterpart, John Healey, at the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence in London. During the meeting, the two Ministers focused on the need for stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as the security challenges posed in the region. In addition, they exchanged opinions regarding the situation in Iran, the Middle East, Lebanon, and Ukraine. Furthermore, they discussed the enhancement of defence cooperation between the Hellenic and British Armed Forces, mainly in the fields of Innovation and use of Unmanned Systems, within the framework of the "Agenda 2030".

After the meeting, Mr. Dendias stated:

My meeting with my British counterpart Mr. John Healey was concluded a little while ago. A meeting, which took place in a period of great geopolitical instability, probably one of the most unstable periods after World War II.

Naturally, we thoroughly discussed the war in Iran, in addition to the security challenges posed by this war in the Eastern Mediterranean.

We also discussed the security challenges particularly posed in Cyprus, which is of great interest for us Greeks and definitely for Great Britain as well.

I had the opportunity to brief my British counterpart on what we have done for the security of the Republic of Cyprus and for all the legal residents on the island, as well as on the security services we provide to Bulgaria, our partner in the European Union and NATO.

Other than that, we discussed our bilateral cooperation. The cooperation in the framework of NATO, but also in matters pertaining to defence innovation, new technologies and our potential to bring closer the two ecosystems, the Greek and the British.

Britain goes way back in innovation. Consequently, for our own ecosystem and for the HCDI, the Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation S.A., maintaining contact with the British is of special interest.

Moreover, we agreed to stay in close contact, so that we can constantly discuss. As you know, we both face a great challenge to the maritime routes.

It is of great interest for Greece, the largest maritime power in the world, that the maritime routes remain open. For reasons of tradition, perception and interest, the United Kingdom shares a similar approach.

JOURNALIST: Is there any chance of us sending a ship to the Strait of Hormuz?

N. Dendias:This is exactly the question I expected. Right now, the situation in the broader region is such that I believe there is no such likelihood.

In the framework of his visit to the United Kingdom, Mr. Dendias met on Monday 16 March 2026 the National Security Adviser of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Powell, with whom he exchanged views regarding the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, Iran, Ukraine, as well as the broader security threats.