France and Greece to Renew Mutual Defense Pact and Broaden Cooperation

for those that don't like paywall : "**France and Greece are set to renew their defense pact next week as the European nations seek to further shore up their deterrence strategy.** **The two countries plan to renew their defense agreement —** [**first signed**](https://archive.ph/o/YLFkV/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-28/greece-buys-warships-from-france-signs-major-defense-pact) **in 2021 — for another five years, according to people familiar with the matter who requested anonymity as the details are not final yet.** **French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Athens next week following a summit of European Union leaders in Cyprus. Macron will meet with Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to ratify the renewal of the defense pact, while the two sides are also set to sign agreements on further boosting cooperation in areas including foreign policy, civil protection and the economy, one of the people said.** **The issue of boosting defense capabilities has become much more critical since Greece and France signed their first agreement on the matter five years ago. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the war in Iran, have become existential challenges to the European Union, especially amid growing uncertainty over transatlantic ties and threats by the US that it could leave the** [**North Atlantic Treaty Organization**](https://archive.ph/o/YLFkV/https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/0232325Z:US)**.** **The defense pact due to be agreed by Macron and Mitsotakis next week will also include a new clause stipulating that the pact will be automatically renewed going forward, one of the people said.**"