Türkiye issues statement on Greek military base on Rhodes

Türkiye has rejected Greece's attempt to establish a UAV base on the island of Rhodes, calling it a violation of the island's international status and a threat to good neighbourly relations, the Turkish Defence Ministry said.

"Türkiye will continue to defend its rights and interests in the region, relying on existing international agreements that clearly regulate the status of Greece's demilitarised islands",

the ministry said.

Ankara described Athens' decision to move Patriot air defence systems from Karpathos to Crete as "a positive step toward abandoning erroneous practices."

The Eastern Mediterranean remains a region of competing interests, with tensions involving Türkiye, Greece, Israel, and France, as well as the disputed island of Cyprus.