Turkey Accuses Greece of Militarizing Aegean Islands and Announces New Security Measures

Turkey has sharply criticized Greece over the alleged militarization of several Aegean islands, warning that Athens’ recent steps violate international agreements and risk increasing tensions between the two NATO allies. Turkish officials said Greece is attempting to change the legal and security status of islands that were transferred under specific treaty conditions, while Ankara is taking additional measures to protect its interests in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus.

Speaking during the Ministry of National Defense’s weekly briefing in Ankara, ministry spokesperson Zeki Aktürk said Greece’s actions concerning the islands contradict the framework established by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty. According to Ankara, the Eastern Aegean islands were transferred to Greece on the condition that they remain demilitarized. Turkish officials argue that recent Greek initiatives undermine this status and damage both neighborly relations and alliance solidarity at a time when the wider region is already facing multiple security challenges.

The ministry pointed to islands including Limnos and Karpathos as examples of territories whose demilitarized status is covered by international agreements. Ankara said any attempt to alter this status through unilateral military deployments or new defense projects would not remove the legal obligations established by the treaties. Turkish officials described such steps as fait accompli efforts and warned that they cannot be accepted as a legitimate change to the existing framework.

Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler also made strong remarks on Turkey’s posture in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus. He accused Greece of attempting to create “new facts on the ground” and said militarization efforts do not contribute to regional peace. Güler dismissed what he called provocative statements from Greek officials, arguing that they have no legal or political basis. He said Turkey’s objective remains the establishment of a regional order built on peace, stability and justice, but stressed that Ankara has both the will and the capability to defend its rights under international law.

Cyprus was another major point in the ministry’s statements. Güler described the protection of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as an inseparable responsibility for Turkey, saying Ankara would continue to take necessary steps to strengthen deterrence and rapid response capabilities in the region. Turkish officials said air force units and additional military assets have been deployed in response to heightened security risks, particularly following recent regional missile and drone incidents linked to the conflicts involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

The ministry also addressed broader regional security measures, including the planned deployment of a NATO Patriot air defense system to Türkiye’s eastern province of Malatya. Officials said the system would be positioned following recent ballistic missile incidents and would operate as a complementary component of Türkiye’s national air defense network. Ankara emphasized that the deployment was part of NATO’s collective defense posture and not a replacement for Türkiye’s own layered air and missile defense structure.

Turkey also reiterated that its Russian-made S-400 system was not used during recent missile incidents. Officials said Türkiye operates a multi-layered air defense structure in which different systems are activated based on threat assessments and operational requirements. The ministry stated that the most appropriate defensive elements had been used against incoming threats, while stressing that Türkiye continues to rely on a combination of early warning sensors, command-and-control systems and interceptor capabilities.

The latest statements come amid renewed attention on Greek defense projects in the Aegean. Turkish officials have previously claimed that Greece aims to deploy multiple missile systems on Aegean islands and near the Turkish-Greek land border under the “Achilles’ Shield” project. Ankara argues that such deployments would increase military pressure in an already sensitive region and could further complicate relations between the two countries, both of which remain key members of NATO.

Although Turkey and Greece have periodically pursued dialogue to reduce tensions, disputes over the Aegean, airspace, maritime boundaries, island status and Cyprus continue to shape relations between the two neighbors. Ankara’s latest statements show that the militarization issue remains one of the most sensitive points in the relationship. For Turkey, the matter is not only a bilateral dispute with Greece, but also part of a wider regional security calculation involving NATO, the Eastern Mediterranean and the future balance of power in the region.