Greek PM leads entourage to boost economic and geopolitical ties with the UAE

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is making a "lightning" trip to Abu Dhabi with the aim of strengthening and deepening Greece's ties with the United Arab Emirates.

The aim of the two countries, which have come very close recently and share common geostrategic approaches in the wider Eastern Mediterranean and the Arabian Peninsula, is to turn the bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership, which will be reflected in the agreements expected to be signed.

The Greek Prime Minister will meet for the second time - the first was last February - in the capital of the United Arab Emirates to meet with one of the most powerful people in the country, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, who in August reached an important agreement to establish diplomatic relations with Israel.

The deepening of relations at both the economic-investment and the geopolitical level will be sealed on Wednesday.

In particular, a Strategic Partnership Declaration will be signed as well as a Cooperation Agreement in the fields of foreign policy and defense that will validate the common views that Athens and Abu Dhabi have on the common challenges they face at the regional level.

The Greek Prime Minister, who will stay in the Emirates less than 24 hours, will be accompanied on his trip by Foreign Ministers Nikos Dendias, Minister for Development and Investment Adonis Georgiadis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Economic Diplomacy Costas Fragoyiannis, chief economic advisor Alexis Patelis, as well as the National Security Advisor Thanos Dokos.