Mitsotakis to Discuss Greek Patriot Battery Deployment with Saudi Crown Prince
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to discuss the future of a Greek Patriot air defense battery deployed in Saudi Arabia during his upcoming meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The battery, which protects the port and oil facilities of Yanbu on the Red Sea, has been authorized through September 30 by Greece's national security council, with an additional one-month extension considered likely. The deployment is currently reviewed monthly instead of annually or every six months as previously done.
Athens wants to see progress on commitments made by Riyadh since the battery was deployed in 2021, particularly a proposed upgrade of the Hellenic Air Force's Patriot systems estimated to cost about €350 million. The demand for these systems worldwide has complicated negotiations and led to delays.