Greece Signs Fighter Jet Acquisition Deal with France

Greece has signed a deal worth $2.8 billion with France to acquire 18 Rafale fighter jets as tensions with neighboring Turkey remain high.

According to ABC News, France's Defense Minister Florence Parly signed the agreement in Athens to begin the delivery of 12 used and 6 new aircraft starting in July.

ABC News noted that France has sided with Greece in the dispute over territorial boundaries in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean seas, which has brought NATO allies Greece and Turkey to the brink of war several times in recent decades.

Greece and Turkey have agreed to resume negotiations aimed at peacefully resolving the dispute. Senior diplomats from both countries met in Istanbul on Monday to restart a process that has been on hold for nearly five years.

However, Athens emphasizes that it will continue the billion-euro program for military modernization following years of cuts due to the country's financial crisis.