Statement of the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lana Zochiou, in response to a journalist's question regarding today’s statement by the Spokesperson of the[...]

Unilateral claims regarding the demilitarization of the islands of the Aegean are unfounded and have been repeatedly rejected in their entirety. The status of the Greek islands of the Eastern Aegean is governed by the Lausanne Treaty of 1923, the Montreux Treaty of 1936, and the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947, to which Türkiye is not even a contracting party.

These treaties leave no doubt as to the status of the islands.

Greece's defensive posture is non-negotiable. The ongoing armed conflict in our wider neighborhood requires the country's defensive preparedness. The prevailing uncertainty and the risk of further escalation call for prudence and composure, not for statements lacking substance.

March 5, 2026