Erdogan Blasts Greece’s PM For Trying to Block F-16 Deal

Defence ties between the US and Greece are about to go deeper. Last week, Greece's parliament extended an agreement with the US that gives American troops greater access to its military bases. Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the pact would create a new reality. Mitsotakis echoed those remarks during his recent visit to Washington, where he met with President Joe Biden at the White House. He also gave a rare address to a joint session of Congress, hinting lawmakers should not approve an F-16 deal with Türkiye. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticised those remarks, saying the US will make up its own mind on the deal. Erdogan also canceled future meetings with Mitsotakis, saying he will won’t meet with the Greek PM again. Last year, tensions rose between Türkiye and Greece over long running disputes in the Aegean, and East Mediterranean. So how will this extended defence deal affect Europe's security and the power balance in its southeast?