Greece Rejects Baltic Nations' Request for NATO Air Patrol Support

Greece has declined Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia's request to participate in NATO air patrols over their airspace, citing existing commitments in the Balkans.

According to local daily Kathimerini, the Baltic nations had sought the deployment of Greek F-16s to help protect their skies. The Baltic Air Policing mission, established in 2004, is a crucial NATO operation that rotates air forces to safeguard the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which lack their fighter jets.

Amid heightened Russian activity near NATO’s eastern borders, air defence has become increasingly important in the Baltic region, leading to regular interceptions of Russian aircraft. However, Greek officials noted that their air force is already stretched thin, managing patrols over Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia, with plans to expand operations to Bulgaria in 2025.

Athens emphasized the pressure on the Hellenic Air Force (HAF), which is also responsible for securing Greek airspace and has recently participated in military exercises, including NATO’s Ramstein Flag 24.