Defence Minister Panos Kammenos belied Alternate Defence Minister Fotis Kouvelis statements that France had agreed to lease two FREMM frigates to Greece, after French Defence Minister Florence Parly denied the existence of such a deal.

Kammenos said that instead Athens and Paris are discussing a deal to manufacture frigates.

Kammenos said PM Alexis Tsipras and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the possibility that the eight billion euros in profits on Greek bonds held by eurozone central banks, which are to be returned to Greece, could be used in a deal with France to construct frigates in Greece.

On the upgrade of Greece’s fleet of American F-16 fighter jets, Kammenos said that he and the PM’s office will inform the American side that it will go forward, in line with Athens’ economic capabilities.

Kammenos suggested that Athens wants an extended payment period for the upgrade going up to 2028, with the delivery of the first war plane in two years.

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