TR 
EN
Viewing competition with Türkiye as a unifying factor in every sense has been a long-standing attitude in Greek politics. Due to historical events, insatiability, and complexes, there are endless complaints. They keep these issues constantly on the agenda both domestically and abroad. When competition turns into hatred, they feel the need to have their objections and complaints acknowledged at all times. For this reason, their desire to arm themselves against our country becomes more intense each time. Some Western countries have also turned this situation into a source of profit. Greece has become an important arms market for these countries.
Sometimes this hatred can turn into greed. It has been revealed that some Greek politicians, high-ranking military officers, and civilian bureaucrats have used this hatred for their own corruption in the past. It has been understood that many defense program tenders were rigged, regardless of whether the Greek army needed them or not. Ultimately, explaining new arms buildup initiatives to the Greek public, which is divided along different political lines, will undoubtedly present challenges. Given the frequent street protests and/or criticism from the left-wing opposition, the Greek public's reactions can be unpredictable.
Perhaps for this reason, the stance that Greek politicians have taken since the past is now being presented in a different package: the “Achilles’ Shield,” a massive defense project providing multi-layered air defense support with a budget of €25 billion. The Greek defense industry is also expected to participate in the project at a rate of 25%. Of course, we must also closely monitor this.
In order to get the Greek public to accept this large-budget project, anti-Türkiye arguments alone will not be sufficient this time. It is a difficult project to manage transparently in every respect. I think they need different compelling reasons and definitions.
Pressure from the US and EU defense spending, Türkiye's defense projects and increased activity in the region, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Israel's initiation of military technology transfers to Greece in certain areas may convince society to a certain extent. However, to what extent can this be internalized, and what needs to be done for this? Looking at developments over the past few months, it appears that they have embraced a more holistic and inclusive interpretation of ancient Greek identity.
Perhaps for this reason, Greek Foreign Minister Dendias, who was in Piraeus port for Maritime Week in June, explained the importance of the “Achilles Shield” project from a naval perspective. However, it was clear that he was referring more to the name of the project than the project itself. It was quite interesting that he wanted to add a supposed philosophical depth to the project.
According to local media reports, Dendias stated that this project is not merely a capacity upgrade, but also a doctrinal change based on a deterrent national strategy. He said that it highlights the Greek people's timeless relationship with the sea. He claims that the Achilles Shield will free modern weapon systems from the narrow confines of spatial defense and transform them into strategic deterrent weapons with new capabilities.
We need to dwell on these words a little.
At first glance, these words seem to be a mythological counter-doctrine to our Blue Homeland doctrine. The key phrase here is the timeless relationship between the Greek people and the sea. It does not refer to a situation that unexpectedly arises before the people. What is being described is a form of relationship that is not bound by time. An attempt is being made to explain a relationship that has existed since time immemorial and will continue into the present and future.
They are trying to instill their baseless claims regarding the so-called maritime jurisdiction areas in the Aegean and the unrelated Eastern Mediterranean into the cultural codes of the people through a cleverly constructed philosophy. In response, there is a need for a deterrent strategy. Ultimately, a new doctrine based on this strategy is being attempted to establish a social bond by grounding the actual 25 billion euros in a populist foundation.
The fate of this money, which is planned to be spent on multinational platforms and weapon systems, already carries the possibility of getting caught up in a cycle of corruption and bribery due to the large amount involved, as well as new loans and debt burdens.
This philosophical definition, which they conceptualized in an eternal sense as “a timeless relationship with the sea,” brings to mind Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar's literary lines: "I dwell neither within time, nor wholly beyond; but in the unbroken current of a single, boundless moment.” However, unlike Tanpınar, 25 billion euros has the potential to shatter this doctrine in a single, vast moment.
Ultimately, the future of this so-called doctrine that Dendias envisions appears to be, as Tanpınar describes in his second quatrain, “a state of mind and dreamlike atmosphere lighter than a feather floating in the wind.” This whets the appetite of foreign defense and arms dealers.
As a result, while attempting to create existential awareness, Achilles Shield may cause Achilles tendon rupture without even going beyond the narrow boundaries of spatial defense.
However, we must monitor developments more closely than ever before. The balance of power in Syria is constantly shifting. It is very difficult to achieve stability. We are now facing off against Israel. Israel has begun to increase its maneuvers against Greece and Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus. They may create many issues between us and Greece that will distract us.
On the other hand, threats are coming from all sides. On one side, there is Greece and Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus, which appear to be aligned with the US-Israel axis, and on the other side, there is the separatist PKK terrorist organization, which is also aligned with the same axis. For this reason, we must stay away from projects and discussions regarding our unitary structure, the outcome of which is uncertain. One side is promoting its mythological values in order to help achieve social consensus on a defense project with very high costs. We, on the other hand, are bringing to the agenda a political project that challenges our unitary structure and values, which could be risky and come at a very heavy cost. We must pay close attention to this.
Greece's Achilles tendon may be severed, but this also depends somewhat on the continuation of our national unity and solidarity.
Sources
Milliyet. (2014, January 2). Bribery investigation in Greece extends to the army. Retrieved July 7, 2025, from https://www.milliyet.com.tr/dunya/yunanistanda-rusvet-sorusturmasi-orduya-uzandi-1816495
Gazete Duvar. (2024, September 11). Former Greek defense minister Papantoniou charged with bribery and money laundering. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr/yunanistanin-eski-savunma-bakani-papantoniouya-rusvet-ve-para-aklama-suclamasi-haber-1719549
Berber, B. (2025, May 8). From Israel to Greece: The BlueWhale submarine power. Savunma Sanayi ST. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.savunmasanayist.com/israilden-yunana-sualti-gucu-bluewhale/
Karaoğlu, O. (2025, January 10). Greece’s increasing armament efforts: Why now?. Anadolu Agency (AA). Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/analiz/yunanistanin-artan-silahlanma-cabasi-neden-simdi/3446497
Tahsin, İ. (2025, July 1). Doctrine change in the Greek Navy. Birlik Gazetesi. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://birlikgazetesi.org/yunan-donanmasinda-doktrin-degisikligi/
Translator: Nilüfer Şen
