Athens fears Kyiv seeks veto power over drone deployments, a move that could alter regional balances and complicate production and export negotiations.
In Athens, there is concern about how Ukraine aims to influence the use of naval drones that are planned to be developed jointly with Greece in the event of potential hostilities.
According to Greek media reports, last November a framework for joint production of unmanned surface vessels was agreed between Greece and Ukraine. The technological base foresees the use of Ukrainian solutions, and production is planned under a mixed industrial model, with a leading role expected for Greek shipyards.
For Kyiv, deploying drones in the Black Sea against the Russian fleet carries significant strategic importance. At the same time, Athens sees them as a potential advantage in the Aegean Sea, where long-standing tensions with Turkey persist, which rolled out its first naval drone in 2021.
Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis reached an agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on joint drone production.
According to Greek outlets, Kyiv demanded the right to authorize the use of these naval drones by the Greek armed forces in the event of an armed conflict, but Athens did not accept these terms.
Greece believes that Ukraine is seeking to maintain balance in its relations with Turkey, which still plays the role of mediator in talks with Moscow.
However, Ukraine did not confirm this during the negotiations, Greek media report.
Context and future steps for drone production
According to Greek sources, Athens and Kyiv are considering joint production at Greek shipyards of unmanned boats (UBs), tested in naval battles.
Looking ahead, such cooperation could strengthen Greece’s capabilities as a manufacturing hub for drones and bolster the region’s security potential, given the geopolitical dynamics in the Black Sea and the Aegean.