The war in Ukraine, the strategic confrontation with Russia, the redesign of Europe’s defense and energy security architecture under the lens of the new “aggressive and unconventional” U.S. foreign policy, provide, after several decades, a favorable opportunity for Greece to emerge as an energy hub and a provider of security in the wider region.

Greece’s initiatives and proposals for the development of a European air defense “shield,” as well as for addressing threats not only on the EU’s eastern but also southern borders, are included in the roadmap for the Union’s Defense Readiness by 2030, presented on Thursday by the European Commission.

Greece is preparing to formally request the exclusion of its defense expenditures from future fiscal calculations under the European Union’s updated budgetary framework. The move, known as invoking the “escape clause,” was confirmed on Tuesday, April 29, by National Economy and Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis during an interview on state broadcaster ERTNews.