Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis meets with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola in Athens, Friday. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]
The European Union’s geopolitical challenges, the war in Ukraine and Greece’s economic progress have featured in discussions between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola at the Maximou Mansion.
The talks at the Maximou Mansion followed the inauguration of the Europa Experience Athens center at the Arsakeio Megaron, an interactive venue where visitors can simulate the work of an MEP.
Mitsotakis said initiatives like the Europa Experience are vital at a time when populist voices from the right and left are heard very loudly, stressing the need to educate young people on the EU’s role in safeguarding peace and prosperity. He also said preparations for Greece’s presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2027 were discussed in detail.
“Complex challenges require immediate, brave and dynamic responses,” he noted, adding that Europe must “mature geopolitically” and make strategic decisions crucial for both prosperity and security.
On Ukraine, Mitsotakis and Metsola reaffirmed the need for strong, practical EU support. The prime minister pointed to recent energy agreements signed in Athens with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying the objective must be “a just and sustainable peace” compatible with Europe’s security interests. “Europe must be present not with words but with actions,” he said.
Metsola said she remains determined to help the EU “end this war,” reiterating that any agreement must be “lasting and fair,” based on the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” She thanked Greece for its continued supply of liquefied natural gas to Ukraine, calling it an “important lifeline” as winter approaches and a boost to transatlantic cooperation.
The European Parliament president also praised Greece’s economic turnaround, noting unemployment has dropped from 27% to below 10%, with strong investment and growth placing Greece ahead of many EU partners. She added that Greece has been “at the forefront” of managing migration pressures and welcomed progress on a new EU solidarity fund.
Migration, she said, remains a top priority for the European Parliament, which is working to speed up asylum procedures, increase returns and draw on Greece’s experience to shape future policy.