Greek Prime Minister advocates for activation of EU mutual assistance clause

On Friday, during an informal EU summit in Nicosia, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for the substantial upgrade and activation of Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union. This article acts as a mutual assistance clause requiring member states to support any member under attack. Mitsotakis highlighted the importance of European strategic autonomy and defense solidarity, citing the recent response to threats involving the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran as a practical example of EU capability. He emphasized that the topic is now firmly on the European Council's agenda. The Prime Minister stated that Greece intends to leverage its upcoming EU presidency in the second half of 2027 to further advance these discussions. The meeting aimed to refine the operational framework for collective security among EU member states. Leaders also gathered to discuss broader regional security challenges within the current geopolitical context.