Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has warned that Greece will not accept cuts to EU farm and cohesion funding, that he can't promise a budget deal by December, and that Europe should not expect a rescue on energy prices, only more room for countries to spend.
Speaking after the two-day EU summit, Mr. Mitsotakis said the talks made clear farm and cohesion policy must be protected at least at the amounts the European Commission proposed, a position 15 other countries share.
Compromises will still be needed, he said, so long as the richest countries are not overburdened.
He said he hopes for a deal before year-end but cannot be sure.
The first half of 2027 will be politically difficult, he added, because French President Emmanuel Macron's term is ending, which creates urgency.
He said leaders may have to stay in Brussels "with many shirts" to get an agreement.
On energy, Mr. Mitsotakis said he does not expect "a rabbit out of the hat."
Greece wants more fiscal flexibility for targeted, temporary measures, and the summit received the idea positively, he said.
Greece can support households because, unlike some EU countries under excessive-deficit procedures, it has room to spend.
He cited an extra €55 million in support announced days earlier, and said extra flexibility would not change its budget surplus targets.
He said Greece will keep adding renewables and storage, but that industry should not face added costs before it has technical ways to decarbonize.