France and Greece are due to sign a major defence deal on Tuesday in the aftermath of the AUKUS pact between Australia, the UK and the US – a surprise military deal which resulted in a scrapped submarine contract with France, worth €50 billion.

Paris, which views itself not only as a major power in the Pacific and Indian oceans, felt the snub, recalled its ambassadors from the US and Australia, and is now scrambling to strengthen its military ties within Europe.

A new deal between France and Greece, in the aftermath of the AUKUS treaty, will include commitments from Greece to purchase around €5 billion worth of French warships and fighter jets, as well as a clause on mutual defence assistance, according to three Greek government officials.

US-based analyst Angelos Themelis points out that the AUKUS Pact signed two weeks ago is a blow for France, which was enraged by the announcement and has urged its European neighbours to focus on shoring their own defence capabilities. In this framework, Greece is set to further solidify relations with Greece.

The pact with Greece will help push French President Emmanuel Macron’s desire to spearhead Europe’s military efforts.

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“A first thought is that anything that ‘raises the temperature’ in the international arena is risky by increasing confrontation, instead of seeking avenues of cooperation,” he told Neos Kosmos in reference to the AUKUS Pact.

“The pact is a slap in the face to France, therefore it weakens the Western alliance cooperation and in that regard it affects Greece negatively. Coming after the US humiliating retreat from Afghanistan, it reinforces the opinions of those who think that the US is addicted to aggression.”

The deal with Greece is connected to the AUKUS Pact, said Faithon Karaiosifidis, a defence expert and publisher of the Greek magazine Flight.

“France is taking everything in Greece and can come forward presenting this agreement on defense cooperation and cohesion as the basis of the European defense integration and the beginning of a European army,” Mr Karaiosifidis told Politico.

In recent months, six countries put in bids for the Greek navy’s program to upgrade its fleet with new frigates while modernising its existing fleet. France, the US, the Netherlands and the UK were among countries which placed bids with France’s proposal initially carrying the heftiest price tag, however it submitted an improved offer.

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In accepting France’s offer, Greece hopes that Mr Macron will continue to offer ongoing support in Greek-Turkish issues and Turkey’s claims in the Aegean. Mr Macron has so far supported Greece, and took part in the recent meeting of southern EU countries in Athens where he signed a strong communique with strong warnings against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is in Paris for the opening of the exhibition ‘Paris-Athens: Birth of Modern Greece’ at the Louvre to further cement the links between the two countries.

He will be received by Mr Macron to inaugurate the exhibition together and then have a working dinner at the Palais des Champs-Elysees. Mr Mitsotakis said that a lengthy discussion would be held between the two leaders before the defence announcements are made on Tuesday morning.

Mr Mitsotakis told Greece’s national broadcaster ERT that “we are heading towards a substantial deepening of the strategic collaboration between Greece and France”.

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When the AUKUS Pact was announced, Theo Theophanous, former Victorian MP, told Neos Kosmos that “the French are very upset and will use the European Union as a vehicle to suggest that the actions of the Australian Government in breaking the contract for conventional submarines with France is a snub, not only of France but of the whole of Europe” and would seek a European-wide response to make this clear. And this has already begun.

Mr Theophanous had warned Greece that “while expressing sympathy for France” to not allow the vehicle of the EU “to be used to punish Australia for what is ultimately a commercial arrangement between France and Australia. In taking up such a role, Greece will gain respect and the appreciation of Australia,” he said.