French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Athens on April 24, 2026, to renew the 2021 strategic defense partnership with Greece, which expires this year. At an official dinner hosted by Greek President Constantinos Tasoulas, the leaders celebrated the historical ties between the two nations. This visit marks the French president's third trip to Greece.
Emmanuel Macron made the trip to Greece a priority to relaunch the strategic defense partnership signed in 2021, which expires this year. The main goal is to bolster bilateral security cooperation.
At the official dinner in the presidential palace, hosted by Constantinos Tasoulas in honor of Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, around 120 guests heard speeches highlighting Franco-Greek friendship. The menu featured crayfish fillet with eggplant mousse, Aegean sea bream, and vanilla flan with raisins.
In his address, Macron recalled the deep ties binding Paris and Athens "for hundreds of years." He referenced the historical visits of General Charles de Gaulle to Athens and Thessaloniki in May 1963, and Valéry Giscard d’Estaing's trip, the first by a foreign leader to Greece after the colonels' dictatorship fell.
This meeting occurs during Macron's third visit to Greece, strengthening relations rooted in shared history and symbols.
