Greece approved transfer of outdated weapon systems to Ukraine

That instructions had already been issued to transfer outdated systems and equipment, which were no longer in use by the Greek army, to Ukraine.

This decision by Greece comes after the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Security Cooperation Agency reported that the State Department approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Athens, totaling $8.6 billion.

Alongside the approval of the sale of modern fighter jets, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis proposing to either transfer or sell weaponry to Ukraine in exchange for Washington's assistance amounting to $200 million.

Blinken stated that they remained interested in the defense capabilities that Greece could transfer or sell to Ukraine. He mentioned that if these opportunities were of interest to Ukraine and until the U.S. government assessed their status and value, they could explore the potential for additional funding for Greece's armed forces, up to $200 million.

According to open sources, Greece's arsenal includes air defense systems such as the Tor, Osa, and S-300, as well as anti-aircraft installations like the ZU-23-2, and ammunition for all the mentioned weapon systems.

Aid from Greece to Ukraine

In the summer of 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Greece. During his visit, he announced that Athens would provide training to Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. The head of state also stated that Ukraine relies on Greece's air defense capabilities in the Black Sea.

Later reports indicated that Greece was halting funding for support and maintenance programs for Soviet-era anti-aircraft missile systems, as they may be transferred to Ukraine in the future.

It was previously known that the U.S. is discussing the possibility of selling 75,000 artillery shells from the Greek Armed Forces reserves to Ukraine. The negotiations are part of Washington's efforts to replenish Ukraine's ammunition supplies.