France, Greece sign defense deal; Athens to buy 3 warships

France and Greece on Tuesday announced a multibillion-euro defense deal, including Athens' decision to buy three French warships as part of a strategy to boost its defense capacities in the Eastern Mediterranean amid recurring tensions with longtime foe Turkey.

President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a defense and security strategic partnership in a joint news conference in Paris.
``This partnership expresses our will to increase and intensify our cooperation in the defense and security sector based on our mutual interests,'' Macron said. It will ``help protect the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity of both states.``

Greece will purchase three French frigates to be built by defense contractor Naval Group in Lorient, in western France. The deal includes an option for the acquisition of a fourth frigate.
Mitsotakis said it comes ``out of national motivation to shield our country,'' but also has ``a European motive as it strengthens our common defense industry.``

The announcement comes at a key time for France after the loss this month of a $66 billion deal to sell diesel-electric submarines to Australia, which instead chose to acquire nuclear-powered submarines provided by the U.S. The three-way strategic defense alliance announced by Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. came as a shock to French officials.

Greece has already bought 18 French Rafale fighter jets and plans to purchase another six under a program to modernize its armed forces.
Macron and Mitsotakis didn't immediately disclose further details of the deal. A top French official said the deal was worth ``several billion'' euros.