Koutsoumbas made the remarks while speaking at an event organised by the Central Committee for the Armed Forces and Security Bodies.

Referring to developments in the Middle East, he said that ‘the new criminal military attack by the state of Israel and the US on Iran brings a generalised war closer’, and accused the Greek government of bearing significant responsibility for its stance.

According to Koutsoumbas, Greece has been turned into ‘a war base and a target of retaliation’, while warning against the possible deployment of Greek forces as part of US plans related to Gaza.

He called for the closure of the Souda base in Crete and other foreign military facilities in the country, as well as the return of a Greek Patriot missile battery deployed in Saudi Arabia and a navy frigate operating in the Red Sea.

Koutsoumbas also urged people to express solidarity with populations affected by what he described as ‘imperialist interventions’.

Ukraine, energy policy and defence reforms

Referring to the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, the KKE leader said that NATO is preparing for a broader confrontation while negotiations between international powers continue. He also argued that the strengthening of the ‘war economy’ within the European Union has consequences for social rights.

Koutsoumbas also criticised the agreement with the US energy company Chevron for hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete, saying it does not safeguard Greece’s sovereign rights and contains ‘worrying provisions’.

He further referred to a draft law by the Ministry of Defence concerning the armed forces, criticising provisions affecting graduates of Higher Military Schools for Non-Commissioned Officers and expressing support for mobilisations by military personnel.

Migration and government policy

On migration, Koutsoumbas referred to what he described as a ‘new crime’ near the coast of Chios, blaming Greek government and European Union policies. He also called on coastguard personnel not to implement what he characterised as ‘inhumane practices’.

Concluding his speech, Koutsoumbas called for solidarity with the KKE and said that ‘the real dilemma is either their profits or our lives’, arguing that the way forward lies in disengagement from NATO and Greece’s involvement in war plans.

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