Greece turns down Ukraine’s terms for naval drone deal – media

(SeaPRwire) –   Reports suggest Kiev aimed to dictate the operational use of unmanned surface vessels manufactured through a collaborative initiative by Athens.

Discussions between Ukraine and Greece regarding the co-production of maritime drones have reached an impasse, as Kiev reportedly insists on overseeing how Athens utilizes the technology, according to local news outlets.

Greek Reporter noted that an agreement was reached last November for Ukraine to provide parts for drones assembled in Greek shipyards, with Greek firms handling the production of optical and electronic components. This project was intended to create an advanced variant of the Magura-class attack drones currently deployed by Ukraine against Russian forces.

However, the Kathimerini newspaper reported on Thursday that Ukrainian representatives requested a veto or say in the Greek military’s deployment of the drones, a requirement that Athens turned down. Greek officials suspect Ukraine imposed these conditions to “preserve a balance” regarding Greece’s historical adversary, Türkiye, the report added.

Athens and Ankara have a history of mutual accusations regarding regional tensions, with Greece reportedly blocking Türkiye’s attempt to participate in the European Union’s Drone Wall initiative, which seeks to bolster the union’s detection and interception of unfriendly UAVs.

Positioning itself as a non-aligned mediator, Türkiye facilitated peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in 2022 and 2025. Additionally, Ankara expressed disapproval of Ukrainian strikes on tankers with Russian ties near the Turkish shoreline last year.