Greece's National Security Council met Thursday under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the session produced a sig...

Greece's National Security Council met Thursday under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the session produced a significant decision on one of the country's most advanced air defense assets. The Greek Patriot missile battery currently deployed in Saudi Arabia will remain there for at least another month, according to information from the meeting. Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis briefed the council on the latest international developments, focusing specifically on the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Ukraine. The meeting also coincided with Greece's presidency of the UN Security Council beginning today, October 1. The council discussed the deployment of national forces under Greece's international commitments, with the Patriot battery's extended stay in Saudi Arabia falling under that framework. The battery has been stationed in the kingdom as part of regional air defense cooperation amid the ongoing instability across the broader Middle East. Also on the agenda was progress on Greece's national armaments program, following the recently signed "Shield of Achilles" agreement with Israel. That deal is expected to expand Greece's overall defensive capabilities as the Eastern Mediterranean security picture continues to shift. The government spokesperson, Deputy Minister Pavlos Marinakis, confirmed the council convened and outlined the main points discussed, though full details of the deliberations were not publicly released. The Patriot battery's extended deployment comes at a time when Greece is balancing its own air defense needs with alliance commitments abroad. #Greece #PatriotMissiles #EasternMediterranean