Turkey has warned Greece over what Ankara describes as the militarization of islands in the Aegean Sea, adding a fresh point of tension between the two NATO allies. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey would not accept moves it views as threatening its security interests.

The dispute centers on long-running disagreements over sovereignty, military deployments, and maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean. While both countries remain in the NATO alliance, their rivalry has repeatedly surfaced in recent years, especially when military activity or political rhetoric rises around the Aegean.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on both sides to use dialogue instead of escalation, underscoring the alliance's concern that the dispute could destabilize a sensitive region. His remarks reflected a broader push within NATO to keep internal disputes from spilling into open confrontation.

The latest exchange highlights how fragile relations remain between Ankara and Athens, even as European security tensions continue to run high. For now, both capitals appear to be standing firm, with diplomacy once again serving as the main channel for managing a familiar but dangerous dispute.