A strategic anchor in southern Europe – Germany is investing in the partnership with Greece

A strategic anchor in southern Europe - Germany is investing in the partnership with Greece

Be it in NATO or the EU, Germany and Greece act in concert. Foreign Minister Wadephul's visit to Athens reflects our close partnership.

Greece is a strategic and close EU partner for us. In summer 2027, it will take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU. As a result, numerous topics are on the agenda, particularly as regards the EU's working methods and future direction. We are working together to ensure that Europe is secure and strong and that it maintains its economic power worldwide. These topics are at the heart of the talks that Foreign Minister Wadephul will hold today in Athens with Foreign Minister Gerapetritis and Prime Minister Mitsotakis.

Before departing for Athens, Foreign Minister Wadephul stated:

Making Europe more secure

In a crisis-ridden world, we need to preserve Europe's security. We are doing so not only in northern and eastern Europe, where we feel the threat posed by Russia particularly strongly, but also by ensuring credible deterrence at NATO's southeast flank. To this end, Germany and Greece want to work more closely together in Europe and NATO, be it on arms, defence capabilities or joint planning.

Germany would like to expand its arms cooperation with Greece. Foreign Minister Wadephul's visit to Skaramangas Shipyards - the global market leader for submarine maintenance - in Athens also reflects this intention.

Making the EU fit for the future

Greece and Germany share the goal of making the EU fit for the future. To achieve this, we are working together on a modern EU budget for the 2028-2034 period, that is, a budget that sets clear priorities and can respond quickly to new threat situations. The EU's Multiannual Financial Framework always sets the budget for seven years and must be agreed by all EU member states.

Ensuring even closer economic integration

We also aim to achieve even closer economic integration. The Greek economy has made impressive progress in recent years and is continuing to grow dynamically. German companies also benefit from this. Foreign Minister Wadephul will visit the young Athens-based German digital company, OroraTech, an outstanding example of German-Greek economic cooperation and innovation. Using the latest satellite technology, OroraTech is establishing a nationwide wildfire management platform in Greece, thus also creating jobs in the country.

Ties between Germany and Greece

Ties between Germany and Greece are shown not only in Germans' love of Greece as a holiday destination - almost six million German tourists visited the country last year - but also by the fact that the Goethe-Institut in Athens is the oldest German institute abroad in the world. Furthermore, the long-standing German Archaeological Institute has been active in Greece for over 150 years. The new German-Greek Youth Office is a more recent addition. For the past five years, it has brought together young people from our two countries, enabling them to experience European cooperation at first hand in exchange programmes.

Foreign Minister Wadephul prior to his departure for Athens

Foreign Minister Wadephul issued the following statement today (4 May 2026) prior to his departure for Athens: Greece is a strategic anchor for us in southeastern Europe and a close friend and partner…

Keywords

• Foreign Minister Wadephul: Travels
• Greece
• European Foreign Policy
• NATO
• Articles

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