The Prime Minister welcomed the new NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, with an appeal to the Dutch philosopher Spinoza at the Maximos Mansion. 

As Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed, the two discussed the hot issues of the international scene and NATO's strategic priorities, as well as the constructive role of Greece, which is recognised as an important pillar of stability in the sensitive region of the South-Eastern Mediterranean.

Mr Mitsotakis continued by stressing that what is happening on the war fronts in Ukraine was on the agenda, underlining that support for Kiev must continue. 

"Our country stands firmly on the side of the defenders," he reiterated.

The Greek Prime Minister referred to the need to "strengthen our collective defence, which presupposes a strong defence industry and significant investments", but also to the need for "a common anti-missile defence - which is becoming more relevant than ever after the attacks in Ukraine".

Referring to Greece's "valuable legacy of 72 years" in the North Atlantic Alliance, the Prime Minister reiterated the country's strong will to continue on the same path. 

"We recognized that in the face of complex challenges we must build bridges of cooperation with our partners. We must move forward together with faith in the fundamental principles of freedom, democracy and solidarity, with a necessary and unwavering commitment by all to respect for international law and international treaties - something that is particularly relevant to the sensitive region of the Western Balkans," he stressed. 

The Prime Minister concluded by referring to Spinoza, quoting one of his maxims, according to which "united we conquer more easily what we need and more easily ward off the dangers that surround us".