Greek, Turkish leaders seek common ground over Ukraine war

ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks in Istanbul on Sunday , seeking a rapprochement between the neighbouring NATO members to the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The meeting focused on the benefits of increased cooperation between the two countries" in view of"the evolution of the European security architecture", the Turkish presidency said in a statement after the two-hour meeting. Mitsotakis then unveiled Greece's most ambitious arms purchase programme in decades and signed a defence agreement with France, to Turkey's consternation.

"I think that both Turkish and Greek leaders understand that the world is changing and the European security order is challenged in ways they have not imagined three months ago," she added.Antonia Zervaki, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Athens, says Sunday's meeting in Istanbul would provide an opportunity to"bring the two countries closer together" after a fraught period in relations.

Before lunch, Mitsotakis attended a celebration at the Orthodox St George's Cathedral, Turkey's largest, in Istanbul.

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