Greece not to transfer of S-300 systems to Ukraine
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Greece will not be sending S-300 systems since it will weaken their defense capabilities.
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Russian S-300 air defense missile systems in a military exercise by the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy, January 30, 2015. (TASS)
The chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, said that Greece is not considering the transfer of Russian S-300 air defense systems to Ukraine.
"Obviously, we do not consider either relocation or transfer of weapons, it would weaken the country's defense capabilities," Floros told reporters.
In late February, upon Russia's launching of the military operation in Ukraine, Athens sent two C-130 military transport aircraft, both with weapons onboard to Ukraine.
Read more: Russia cautions West against "mindlessly pumping weapons" into Ukraine
"Greece has sent humanitarian aid and significant military equipment to Ukraine. Nothing more is being discussed now concerning this matter. In any case, weapons systems that are necessary for the country's defense are not on the agenda of such discussions, should the issue of sending armament to Ukraine suddenly be raised. Today, I reiterate, it is not on the agenda," Ioannis Oikonomou, Greek government spokesperson said on ERT.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, told the US Congress on Wednesday that if the request to establish a no-fly zone isn't met, Kiev could receive aircraft and Soviet-era S-300 systems, used by 3 NATO members: Bulgaria, Greece and Slovakia.
No no-fly zone? Send us aircraft, defense systems: Zelensky to US
If a no-fly zone is too much for Ukraine to ask for, President Volodymyr Zelensky told the US Congress on Wednesday, then Kiev could be given aircraft and S-300 air defense systems.
"Is this a lot to ask for to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine to save people? If this is too much to ask, we offer an alternative. You know what kind of defense systems we need - S-300 and other similar systems," he told the US legislative body.
He also stressed that the Americans know how much the battlefield depends on the ability to have access to the airspace. "Powerful strong aviation to protect our people, our freedom, our land, aircraft that can help Ukraine, help Europe," he claimed during a videoconference with Congress.
Zelensky noted that Washington knew the equipment existed, "But they are on the ground, not in the Ukrainian sky."
Ukraine has long been asking NATO and the United States to impose a no-fly zone in its airspace, but Brussels and Washington have dismissed the requests.
