National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias visited the facilities of the Hellenic Force in Saudi Arabia (ELDYSA) in the Yanbu region, on the sidelines of his trip to Riyadh, the Ministry of Defence said on Friday.

Dendias was met by Western Area Commander Major General Ahmed Ali. Al-debais and briefed by ELDYSA’s commander on the Greek force’s mission, as well as talking to the personnel stationed there.

In a statement following the visit on Thursday evening, the defence minister emphasised the importance of ELDYSA’s role for both Saudi Arabia and Greece.

“To begin with, I had the pleasure of being received by the Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman, who thanked me for our presence in Saudi Arabia, for the presence of the Greek artillery unit, for our contribution to Saudi Arabia’s defence,” he said, adding that there was also discussed broader regional and geopolitical developments.

“Immediately afterward, I met the defence minister, Prince Khalid Bin Salman, who began by expressing his gratitide for the presence of the Greek battery in Saudi Arabia,” Dendias said.

He added that their subsequent discussion covered a broad range of issues, including technical matter regarding the Greek force stationed in Yanbu and the duration of its deployment.

Dendias said he was particularly pleased to meet and shake hands with the ELDYSA personnel operating the Patriot missile systems, which contribute to the defence of the Kingdom but “also contribute to the defence of our country”.

He stressed that the mission went beyond protecting Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure, also helping to enhance Greece’s standing and demonstrate its capabilities.

Turning to the Greek personnel serving in Saudi Arabia, Dendias said their deployment provided them with valuable experience that would benefit the Hellenic Armed Forces.

“Through their presence here, they acquire useful experience. Experience which the Greek Armed Forces need because, as we well know, Greece is not a country that faces no threats. Our neighbourhood, our region, is not a neighbourhood of angels,” he said.

According to a defence ministry announcement, the minister’s meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince had focused on strategic cooperation between Greece and Saudi Arabia, regional security and challenges to the stability of the surrounding region.

During his working meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Dendias exchanged views on how to further enhance the strategic cooperation between the two countries at an armed forces’ level and examined matters of mutual interest relating to defence innovation.